Rubio to meet China's foreign minister in Malaysia as US-Chinese tensions mount
Share this @internewscast.com


KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is wrapping his up his second and final day at a Southeast Asian security conference with a high-stakes meeting with his Chinese counterpart as tensions grow between Washington and Beijing over issues from trade to security and China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

After discussions with regional countries at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations forum in Malaysia, Rubio on Friday was close out his first official trip to Asia in his first face-to-face talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the State Department said.

The meeting comes less than 24 hours after Rubio met in Kuala Lumpur with another rival, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during which they discussed potential new avenues to jumpstart Ukraine peace talks.

The meetings come against a backdrop of global and regional unease over U.S. policies, notably on trade and large tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on friend and foe alike.

While Rubio heard complaints about the tariffs from his Southeast Asian counterparts, he told reporters Thursday that many of them focused their discussion on security issues, their concerns about Chinese domination and desire for cooperation with the U.S.

“Of course, it’s raised. It’s an issue,” he said. “But I wouldn’t say it solely defines our relationship with many of these countries. There are a lot of other issues that we work together on, and I think there was great enthusiasm that we were here and that we’re a part of this.”

However, Trump sees China as the biggest threat to the United States in multiple fields, not least technology and trade, and like previous U.S. presidents has watched the country greatly expand its influence globally while turning increasingly assertive in the Indo-Pacific, notably toward its small neighbors over the South China Sea and Taiwan.

Trump has warned of massive tariffs that he could impose on Chinese exports to the United States and preliminary discussions between the two sides have yet to produce significant progress.

Since former President Joe Biden was in office, the U.S. has also accused China of assisting Russia in rebuilding its military industrial sector to help it execute its war against Ukraine. Rubio said the Trump administration shares that view.

“I think the Chinese clearly have been supportive of the Russian effort, and I think that generally they’ve been willing to help them as much as they can without getting caught,” Rubio said Thursday, suggesting the topic would be discussed if he and Wang met.

Rubio and Wang have been shadowboxing during the two-day ASEAN meeting, with each touting the benefits of their partnership to Southeast Asian nations.

Rubio has played up cooperation, including signing a civil-nuclear cooperation agreement with Malaysia, while Wang has railed against Trump’s threatened tariffs and projected China as a stable counterweight in talks with Southeast Asian counterparts on the sidelines.

“The U.S. is abusing tariffs, wrecking the free trade system and disrupting the stability of the global supply chain,” Wang told his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa, according the Chinese foreign ministry.

In a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, Wang said that the tariffs are “an attempt to deprive all parties of their legitimate right to development.”

“In the face of turbulent global situation, China is willing to be Cambodia’s trustworthy and reliable friend and partner,” he added.

On Thursday, Wang and Lavrov met and delivered a subtle but unmistakable warning to the United States over Southeast Asia.

“Russia and China both support ASEAN’s central role in regional cooperation, are committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and are wary of certain major powers creating divisions and instigating confrontation in the region,” they said, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.

___

Associated Press writers Huizhong Wu in Bangkok and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

New Idaho Documentary Explores Bryan Kohberger’s Plea: ‘Why Were These 4 Kids Chosen?’

() A surprise guilty plea prevented the public from learning more about…

Trump Set to Visit Texas to Assess Flood Damage as the Disaster Challenges His Promise to Close FEMA

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump travels to Texas on Friday…

Arizona Local Succumbs to Pneumonic Plague

() A resident in Northern Arizona has died from the pneumonic plague,…

UPDATE: United States Suspends Mexican Cattle Imports Again

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect a new suspension…

South Carolina Man Convicted in Connection to 2023 Hotel Shooting Death

AUGUSTA, Ga. () – A South Carolina man was found guilty in…

Fossil Dating Back 70 Million Years Discovered Beneath Museum Parking Lot

DENVER (KDVR) – The Denver Museum of Nature and Science announced on…

Investigation Report Reveals Fuel Supply to Air India Plane Was Severed Just Before Crash

NEW DELHI – Fuel control switches for the engines of an Air…

Illinois Families and Economy at Risk Due to SNAP Benefit Reductions, Warn Food Banks

CHICAGO (WGN) — As President Trump’s budget bill comes into effect, hundreds…

Former Jersey City Police Officer Faces Charges for Misconduct in Office

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A former officer from the Johnson City…

AI Recruiters: The Future of Job Interviews

Wafa Shafiq, a 26-year-old Canadian marketing professional and lifestyle influencer, has been…

Representative Frost Proposes Legislation to Combat High Rental Fees and Prohibit Tenant Credit Checks

ORLANDO, Fla. – Symphony Betters knows all too well the kinds of…

Family of Teen Involved in Polk County Swatting Incident Speaks Out

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — On Thursday, News Channel 8 brought you…