This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that he had “positive and constructive” talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, amid tensions over tariffs and trade.
Rubio was in Malaysia on his first Asia trip since taking office, looking to stress U.S. commitment to the region at the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum, as countries received notices of U.S. tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump this week.
At a Thursday photo-op before the start of the U.S, Japan, Philippines trilateral meeting, Rubio learned the summit’s signature “ASEAN-way” handshake.
“How do we do that?” Rubio asked.
“The ASEAN-way” replied Philippines’ Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro.
Japan’s Prime Minister Takeshi Iwaya then grabbed Rubio’s hands and crossed them, with the three standing and smiling with the traditional cross-armed handshake for cameras.
Rubio also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov where they discussed the Russia-Ukraine war.
