China has indicated that its sanctions on newly confirmed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not impede official exchanges between the two nations, suggesting a desire to negotiate with the Trump administration on pressing issues like trade and other disputes, Bloomberg reports.
“We believe it is necessary for high-level officials of both countries to maintain contact in an appropriate manner,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.
He was responding to a question about the possibility of China lifting sanctions against Rubio. His statement comes just days after Rubio, a vocal critic of China and former Republican senator, was approved as President Trump’s top diplomat.
Rubio had been sanctioned by China twice in 2020 for his outspoken condemnations of Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, as well as his efforts to enact laws punishing the Chinese government. These sanctions had hampered some communication channels between the two global powers. Notably, former Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu, also sanctioned by Washington, refused to engage in talks with his US counterpart until the restrictions were removed, although American officials had argued the sanctions did not actually prohibit such meetings.
The Chinese statement suggests a softening of their stance and an openness to dialogue despite the ongoing personal sanctions on Rubio. This signal comes amid early indications of a potentially less confrontational approach by the Trump administration toward China.
President Trump has seemingly avoided committing to immediately imposing new tariffs against China after taking office, a move that has surprised some analysts. Trump also recently granted a lifeline to China-owned ByteDance Ltd, giving the company 75 days to find a US partner. This action would potentially save the popular video app TikTok, a tool used by Trump to connect with younger voters, from being banned in the United States.
Secretary Rubio himself has expressed confidence in finding common ground. He told Voice of America in December that he is confident in his ability “to find some solution” to engage with Beijing.
