US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Beijing for the first time alongside US President Donald Trump, despite previously being sanctioned by China over his criticism of Beijing’s human rights policies.
Questions had emerged over whether Rubio would be allowed to enter China because Beijing had earlier imposed bilateral sanctions against him during his time as a US senator. The sanctions reportedly included a ban on entering China.
However, according to diplomats cited by AFP, Chinese authorities found an unusual diplomatic workaround by subtly changing the Chinese-language spelling of Rubio’s surname. Since January,
shortly before Rubio assumed office as secretary of state, Chinese state media and government institutions began using a different Chinese character for the “Ru” sound in his name, effectively distinguishing him from the individual previously sanctioned.
On Tuesday, China confirmed that Rubio would not face obstacles during the Beijing visit. Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said the sanctions had been imposed based on Rubio’s “words and actions” while serving as a senator.
Rubio had long been one of the strongest critics of China in Washington, particularly over allegations of forced labour involving Uyghur Muslims and Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong. He was also among the lawmakers behind legislation imposing sanctions on Chinese officials linked to human rights abuses.
Despite his previous hardline stance, Rubio’s tone has shifted somewhat since becoming secretary of state, aligning more closely with Trump’s emphasis on maintaining trade relations with China. Trump has repeatedly described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “friend” and has prioritised economic ties over direct confrontation on human rights issues.
Trump is expected to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for high-level talks with Xi focusing on trade, Taiwan and artificial intelligence cooperation. A US State Department official confirmed that Rubio is travelling with the president aboard Air Force One.
Chinese-language transliterations of foreign names often vary, and analysts say Beijing’s handling of Rubio’s name highlights the flexibility sometimes used in diplomacy to bypass political complications.
