China Says It Will Allow Diplomacy With Secretary of State Rubio Despite His Designation
China suggested this week it will allow its officials to carry out routine talks and other activities with new Secretary of State Marco Rubio despite the fact that Rubio was sanctioned by Beijing in 2020. China will ”firmly defend national interests,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said during a Jan. 21 press conference in Beijing, according to a translated transcript provided by the Chinese Embassy in Washington. “In the meantime, it's necessary for high-level Chinese and American officials to maintain contact in an appropriate way.”
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Rubio was sanctioned for calling attention to China’s alleged human rights abuses against ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang (see 2007130016). A State Department spokesperson on Jan. 22 said Rubio "looks forward to promoting American safety, security and prosperity through his engagements with China and other countries throughout the region."