Taiwan is expected to be a key topic when U.S. President Donald Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Speaking at a White House press briefing, Rubio said discussions on Taiwan are routine in high-level exchanges between the two countries.

Call to Avoid Destabilisation

“I’m sure Taiwan will be a topic of conversation; it always is,” Rubio said. “I think both countries understand that it is in neither one of our interests to see anything destabilising happen in that part of the world.”

He added that the United States does not want any developments that could escalate tensions in Taiwan or the wider Indo-Pacific region.

Trump’s Beijing Visit Scheduled

Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing on May 14 and 15, in what is expected to be a closely watched meeting amid broader geopolitical tensions between the two powers.

Rising Pressure on Taiwan

Taiwan continues to face increasing military pressure from China, which claims the self-governed island as part of its territory.

The United States remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter and arms supplier, a position that has long drawn strong objections from Beijing.

(with inputs from Reuters)