US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accompanied President Donald Trump on a state visit to China from May 12 to 14, 2026, meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Rubio, 54, was previously sanctioned by China starting in 2020 for his vocal criticism of Chinese human rights policies in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, including a ban on entry and dealings [1, 2, 4].
Around January 2025, shortly before Rubio took office as Secretary of State, China quietly changed his Chinese transliteration from "盧比奧" to "魯比奧," a likely technical move to circumvent sanctions tied to his original Chinese name and allow his visit [1, 5, 2, 6, 7]. While Rubio’s visit and handshake with Xi Jinping suggested China had effectively lifted or bypassed sanctions, the Chinese Foreign Ministry declined to confirm this, emphasizing the English name’s importance and stating sanctions target harmful behavior rather than individuals’ names [5, 2, 3, 4]. The Chinese embassy indicated sanctions remained linked to Rubio’s conduct while a senator [4].
Rubio has softened his previously harsh stance on China since becoming Secretary of State, emphasizing cooperation possibilities while maintaining some tough measures [4]. On Air Force One en route to Beijing, Rubio wore an informal gray Nike sports tracksuit similar to that worn by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during his US capture, sparking criticism and accusations of political provocation from Chinese netizens and military influencers [5, 8, 9]. White House communications director Steven Cheung posted photos of Rubio’s attire on social media with humorous commentary, quoting, “国务卿鲁比奥在空军一号上穿着‘Nike Tech‘委内瑞拉款’！” (“Secretary Rubio wearing a ‘Nike Tech Venezuelan edition’ on Air Force One!”) [5, 8]. Rubio responded, “是马杜罗抄我的，因为我早前有这套衣服。” (“Maduro copied me since I had this outfit earlier.”) [8]. The attire drew both political interpretation and criticism from Chinese observers [9, 10].
Trump’s visit included a state banquet and business delegation with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang joining mid-trip aboard Air Force One, despite not being initially invited [2]. Former First Lady Melania Trump did not accompany this trip, unlike in 2017 [2]. Trump called the visit "incredible" and said it resulted in "many achievements," including some very good trade deals for both countries [4]. Xi Jinping called Rubio “a person I deeply respect” and said their relations had become “very friendly” [4].
The visit marked a noteworthy moment in the tense US-China relationship given the prior sanctions on Rubio. The US delegation returned from Beijing on May 14, closing this high-level visit.
