US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Ready to Meet Chinese, Russian Counterparts in Philippines

Kathmandu. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he is ready to meet with the Foreign Ministers of China and Russia during the Southeast Asian Nations regional meeting in the Philippines. His statement comes at a time when US-China relations have become more tense and regional power competition is intensifying.

Rubio is attending the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila this week. This visit is considered diplomatically important, coming just days after President Donald Trump recently accused Beijing of interfering in US elections. The US is trying to balance China's growing influence in the region.