China's foreign minister Wang Yi: both countries agreed that their meeting was good, useful, and helpful

China's foreign minister Wang Yi: both countries agreed that their meeting was good, useful, and helpful

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to discuss strategic coordination in the Middle East. The meeting, part of ongoing diplomatic engagements, resulted in a call for stronger cooperation between the two nations to promote peace in the region. Wang Yi emphasized that peace cannot be achieved through force and that dialogue and negotiations are the most effective paths forward. The two foreign ministers also discussed the Iran nuclear issue, with Wang Yi stressing the need for a diplomatic solution [1].

The meeting in Kuala Lumpur follows a series of engagements between China and Southeast Asian nations, where Wang Yi called for openness and cooperation amidst US President Donald Trump's tariff threats. He urged South-east Asian nations to uphold the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness, and inclusiveness, echoing a message of inclusivity [2].

In a separate development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted at a possible meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur. If realized, this would be the first in-person meeting between the two top diplomats since Rubio assumed his position in January. Rubio also expressed a willingness to appeal for Beijing's help in getting Moscow to end hostilities in the Ukraine war, noting the Chinese support for the Russian effort [3, 4].

These developments underscore the ongoing efforts by China and Russia to strengthen their strategic cooperation and the US's attempts to engage with China despite ongoing trade disputes. The meetings highlight the importance of diplomatic channels for resolving complex geopolitical issues.

References:
[1] https://www.investing.com/news/politics-news/chinas-wang-yi-urges-russia-to-strengthen-coordination-on-middle-east-93CH-4129569
[2] https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/chinas-wang-yi-calls-on-south-east-asia-to-back-openness-amid-trump-tariffs
[3] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-10/rubio-working-on-first-in-person-meeting-with-china-counterpart
[4] https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317771/us-secretary-state-rubio-hints-possible-meeting-chinese-fm-wang-yi