In a telephone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio “emphasized the importance of open and constructive communication on a range of bilateral issues,” according to the State Department.
As a senator, Rubio was known for his tough stance on China and, during his confirmation hearing, warned of an all-out global struggle to prevent Beijing from surpassing the United States as the pre-eminent global power.
Rubio met with Wang in July on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Malaysia. Both sides described that meeting as positive and constructive, despite ongoing tension over Washington’s tariffs. At the time, Rubio suggested that a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was highly probable.
The rise of global trade barriers since Trump’s return to the presidency has exacerbated challenges for China’s export-driven economy. While the U.S. and China extended a trade truce for 90 days in August, President Trump on Tuesday urged EU officials to impose tariffs of up to 100% on China as part of a strategy to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
