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2h ago

Rubio Lands in Malaysia to Reinforce Indo-Pacific Strategy

He aims to calm tariff-related anxieties among ASEAN partners through bolstered security pacts alongside resource alliances.

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacts as he testifies at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on U.S. President Donald Trump's State Department budget request for the Department of State, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to Malaysia to attend a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, his first trip to Asia since becoming America's top diplomat
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Overview

  • Rubio is attending the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur from July 8 to 12, his first official trip to the Indo-Pacific as Secretary of State.
  • He plans to reaffirm U.S. backing for a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific to address partner unease over President Trump’s tariff hikes.
  • The agenda includes building on last week’s Quad agreement to secure critical minerals supply chains with Australia, India and Japan.
  • His visit coincides with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and China’s Wang Yi attending the summit, underscoring great power rivalry.
  • Vietnam has already secured a tentative deal to avert U.S. levies, signaling Washington’s willingness to negotiate tariff relief.