Marco Rubio Flew To China Under A Different Name
- 13.05.2026, 7:38
To circumvent PRC sanctions.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to China on Tuesday with President Donald Trump despite being under sanctions. However, this was possible thanks to a "new name".
This is reported by AFP.
As the publication writes, Rubio as a U.S. senator has been a fierce advocate for human rights in China. China has twice imposed sanctions against him for that.
On Tuesday, however, China said it would not obstruct the visit of Rubio, who is visiting China for the first time and is flying to the country with Trump aboard the presidential jet Air Force One.
"The sanctions are against Rubio's words and actions during his tenure as a U.S. senator regarding China," explained Chinese embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu.
How the sanctions were circumvented
AFP notes that shortly before Rubio takes office as secretary of state in January 2025, the Chinese government and official media began using a different character. The character in question is for the first syllable of his surname, meaning "lu".
Two diplomats said they believe the change allows China to accept the official, as Rubio had previously been barred from entering the country when the previous spelling of his surname was indicated.
What Rubio disliked and how things have changed
Marco Rubio was a key author of a congressional bill that imposed sweeping sanctions against China for its alleged use of forced labor by the predominantly Muslim Uighur minority. He has also spoken out against Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong.
In his confirmation hearing for secretary of state, Rubio focused heavily on China, calling it an unprecedented adversary.
Since taking office, however, Rubio has supported Trump, who calls Chinese President Si Jinping a friend and has focused on building trade relations.
At the same time last year, Rubio brought some relief to Taiwan. He said the Trump administration would not negotiate the future of a self-governing democracy in order to strike a trade deal with China.