Dear Focus Reader,

This week, diplomacy took center stage as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in person for the first time on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Their hour-long discussion, described by both sides as "constructive" and "positive," signals a cautious step forward in stabilizing the bilateral relationship.

Wang urged the U.S. to approach China "in an equal, respectful and mutually beneficial manner," while Rubio emphasized the need to build trust and maintain open lines of communication. Although no specific agreements were reached, both parties agreed to strengthen dialogue at all levels and explore areas of potential cooperation. Rubio also stated that the odds of a summit between President Trump and President Xi Jinping later this year are "high," with both sides motivated to create the "right atmosphere and deliverables."

The diplomatic overture came amid rising regional unease over President Trump's recent tariff announcements. Earlier this week, Trump unveiled sweeping new duties targeting goods from dozens of countries, including several ASEAN members. The move drew sharp criticism from Southeast Asian leaders, including Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who called for deeper intra-ASEAN trade cooperation in response.

At the same ASEAN forum, Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, where both discussed ways to restart Ukraine peace talks. Meanwhile, China used the meetings to position itself as a more predictable trade partner, criticizing the U.S. for "abusing tariffs" and disrupting the global supply chain.

Learn more on China-US relations by catching up on our latest Focus content, including topics on the impacts of Trump's "Big and Beautiful Bill," Elon Musk's "America Party," and more.