Rubio Departs for Whirlwind Asia Trip Overshadowed by Tariffs

Secretary of State Marco Rubio departs a classified briefing to Senators after the U.S. bombing in Iran on June 26, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

By Léon Bruneau

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed for Malaysia on Tuesday for meetings with ASEAN allies, a trip that has been overshadowed by fears of a trade war.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.