U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday made clear to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in a phone call that the new Donald Trump administration will focus on American interests above all else, the State Department said,
Kyodo News reports.
Rubio, who was sworn in Tuesday as Trump's top diplomat, also expressed deep concern over China's "coercive" actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea, the department said, adding he underscored Washington's commitment to its allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
He told Wang that the Trump administration will pursue a relationship with Beijing that "advances U.S. interests and puts the American people first," it said.
Still, his conversation with Wang happened only days after the former Republican senator took office, indicating both sides' willingness to engage despite the former Republican senator remaining sanctioned by Beijing.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Wang and Rubio agreed to maintain communication and manage differences between the world's two largest economies.
Wang told Rubio that Beijing "has no intention of overtaking or replacing anyone," but added it "must defend our legitimate right to development," according to the ministry, which announced their first call under Trump's second term more than five hours earlier than the State Department.
The Chinese ministry said the conversation took place at Rubio's request. It quoted Rubio as saying the ties with China are "the most important bilateral relationship in the 21st century" and will determine the future of the world.
Trump has said he is prepared to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on products from China, possibly from Feb. 1. But at the same time, he has voiced hope to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at an early date.
