History made: Trump visit sees Marco Rubio become first sanctioned US secretary of state to visit China

SCMP News

History made: Trump visit sees Marco Rubio become first sanctioned US secretary of state to visit China
Marco RubioUS Secretary Of StateBeijing Visit

Researchers find a potential link between our microbiome and our ability to manage stress.

How Chow Yun-fat became a Hong Kong cinema superstar without losing his humility - A special profile from SCMP Images of Rubio leaving for China on Air Force One with Donald Trump appear to have answered previous questions about whether he would skip such a globally important event.

Rubio is also serving as the US National Security Adviser and would normally have been expected to visit China to lay the groundwork for such a Instead he has met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi twice on the sidelines of events held outside China. He is widely viewed as a leading contender for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, with polls consistently placing him among the front-runners.

Although no one has declared their candidacy this far out, Trump has already floated the idea of a “dream team ticket” pairing Rubio with Vice-President J.D. Vance. Rubio first sought the presidency in 2016 but suspended his campaign after losing the primary in his home state of Florida to Trump.

Trump is the first US president to visit China for almost nine years and key issues such as the future of global trade, Taiwan and hi-tech competition are all expected to be discussed when he meets his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of China and has never renounced the use of force to reunite it with the mainland.

The US, in common with most countries, does not recognise the island as an independent state but it is opposed to any attempt to seize it by force. The Chinese authorities have not publicly confirmed whether they would drop the sanctions to allow Rubio to visit, but recent statements from the foreign ministry have suggested there would be some diplomatic flexibility.

In March, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian replied to a question about the sanctions by saying they were “aimed at Rubio’s words and deeds concerning China during his tenure in the US Senate”. In January last year, the ministry responded to another question about the issue by saying it was necessary to maintain appropriate contacts between senior Chinese and US officials.

Rubio built a reputation as one of the most vocal critics of Beijing during his 14 years in the Senate and repeatedly described China as a threat to US interests. He was sanctioned twice by Beijing in 2020 in retaliation for US measures targeting Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses in Xinjiang and mainland and Hong Kong officials over their handling of the 2019 protests in the city.

Beijing never detailed what consequences Rubio would face, though such sanctions typically bar entry to China for the targeted individuals and their immediate families and also freeze any financial assets within China.that Rubio had until recently appeared to show little interest in invitations to visit China, but was now expected to travel with Trump. They said his previous reluctance may have been down to the fact that trade – an issue where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has taken the lead – was expected to dominate the agenda and he may also have been reluctant to give the impression he was softening his hardline stance on China.

-- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POSTDoes China’s Jiuzhang 4.0 computer herald the age of quantum supremacy? Anwar to address Pakatan's election direction at national convention, says FahmiTrain derailment in Sri Lanka injures 12

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

staronline /  🏆 4. in MY

Marco Rubio US Secretary Of State Beijing Visit Chinese Sanctions US National Security Adviser 2028 Republican Presidential Nomination Xi Jinping Taiwan US-China Trade Human Rights Diplomatic Flexibility

 

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Must pass SPM BM and History first: Anwar confirms UEC students can enter public universitiesMust pass SPM BM and History first: Anwar confirms UEC students can enter public universitiesSEREMBAN, May 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today confirmed that the Cabinet has approved the new admission pathways for graduates from Chinese Private Secondary...
Read more »

DAP Wants To Be In Your Kid's History Textbook, MCA Says: For What, Exactly?DAP Wants To Be In Your Kid's History Textbook, MCA Says: For What, Exactly?MCA challenged whether Loke's name belonged alongside the founding fathers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun VT Sambanthan.
Read more »

Malaysian singer Yuna surpasses one billion streams on Spotify as first Malaysian artist in historyMalaysian singer Yuna surpasses one billion streams on Spotify as first Malaysian artist in historyMalaysian musician Yuna celebrates a significant milestone after her Spotify songs surpass one billion streams, becoming the first Malaysian artist to reach such a feat.
Read more »

From Confucius to Tsinghua: Trump invokes history to anchor China-US futureFrom Confucius to Tsinghua: Trump invokes history to anchor China-US futureResearchers find a potential link between our microbiome and our ability to manage stress.
Read more »



Render Time: 2026-05-18 21:31:23