President Donald Trump is expected to host Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the White House next week to discuss a host of issues including trade, artificial intelligence and the US-Iran war.

In the call with Rubio, Wang said that China and the United States "should prepare for next stage of high-level exchanges in spirit of equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit", state news agency Xinhua reported.

Wang also told Rubio that bilateral relations have "generally" moved forward along the "track of constructive strategic stability for some time".

The two also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, Xinhua added, as Beijing seeks to mediate in Tehran's war with the United States.

The conflict, which broke out with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, has cast a long shadow as China seeks to avoid US sanctions against countries dealing with Tehran, despite reports that Beijing supplied it with intelligence for a strike on American troops.

A trade war is of even greater concern and the world's two largest economies are still seeking to mitigate the fallout from Trump's global tariffs.

The threat of war over Taiwan looms large as well.