US secretary of state hints at possible meeting with Chinese foreign minister

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that he was working on a possible sit-down in coming days with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of an Asean meeting in Malaysia amid a contentious trade dispute.

If realised, the meeting on the periphery of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations conclave would be the first time the two top diplomats will have met in person since Rubio assumed his position in January.

Rubio, who also holds the post of national security adviser, added Thursday that the US could appeal for Beijing’s help as Washington tries to get Moscow to end hostilities in the Ukraine war.

“I think we’re working on that,” Rubio told reporters. “Maybe we’ll meet, and obviously we’ll talk about it. 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, known for his hawkish stance on China, has been sanctioned twice by Beijing, making him the first sitting secretary of state to face such measures.

While the sanctions have hindered ministerial-level exchanges with China, a meeting in Kuala Lumpur would offer a crucial opportunity at a neutral, third-party venue for the two diplomats to engage and prepare for US President Donald Trump’s potential next visit to Beijing.