US, China Meet in Kuala Lumpur Amid Rising Trade Tensions

KUALA LUMPUR — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday in Kuala Lumpur, as both countries compete to advance their interests in Asia amid growing trade conflicts.

Rubio is on his first trip to Asia since taking office, attending key regional meetings including the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum. He also met foreign ministers from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

The meeting comes during heightened tensions over US tariffs. Washington recently announced new import duties on many Asian countries, including 25% on Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia, and even higher rates on others like Indonesia and Myanmar. China, the main target of earlier tariffs, warned against new levies and threatened retaliation.

China’s Wang criticized the US tariffs as “unilateral bullying behavior” that harms global trade and supply chains. He urged Southeast Asian nations to stand firm against such measures and protect their development rights.

Rubio stressed the US commitment to the Indo-Pacific region and raised concerns about China’s support for Russia amid the Ukraine conflict.

ASEAN foreign ministers expressed concern over global trade tensions and called for fair, transparent trade rules, without directly naming the US.

The US and China face ongoing challenges as they vie for influence in Asia while managing a complex trade dispute.