China Presses US to Clear Path Before Summit

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Washington and Beijing to "overcome obstacles" between them, weeks before an expected summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Wang made the appeal in a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue on Wednesday, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, which reported the remarks Thursday.

He also conceded that China-U.S. relations "still face various risks and challenges," in a statement released by CCTV.

What Wang Said

Wang urged both sides to "focus on the positive agenda, properly manage differences, remove interference and overcome obstacles to high-level exchanges between the two countries," per CCTV's account of the meeting.

Reuters reported his message as a call for the two countries to manage their differences and make exchanges easier. Bloomberg reported that Wang's reference to "risks" in the meeting with Perdue underscored lingering tensions less than a month before the leaders are due to meet.