Rubio's appointment as secretary of state has been seen as sign that Trump plans to maintain a hard line on China.

New Secretary of State Marco Rubio told China's foreign minister on Friday that the U.S. would put the American people first and promote U.S. interests in its relationship with Beijing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday and Beijing said he told the known China hawk that the direction and tone of U.S.-China ties had been set by their leaders and he hoped Rubio would play a constructive role for the good of the people of both countries.

Tensions between the U.S. and China have been rising for some time now, and Rubio's appointment has widely been seen as a sign that Trump plans to maintain a hard line on China during his second term. One of the most outspoken China hawks in Washington, Rubio has introduced several bills targeting the Chinese Communist Party.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio painted a dark vision of the consequences of America’s “unbalanced relationship” with China.

China's expanding footprint in Latin America is expected to be high on the agenda when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Panama next week on his first overseas trip since taking office, according to observers.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi by phone on Friday, China's foreign ministry said, the first call between the two top diplomats since President Donald Trump's administration took office on Monday.

The new Secretary of State already has said the Hong Kong-based operator of Panama Canal-adjacent ports could be a “big national security and defense problem.”

Rubio has had a previously rocky relationship with China's foreign minister and the Chinese government, with the Beijing placing sanctions on him in 2020 in response to his criticism over the country'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed with his Chinese counterpart over Taiwan, with Donald Trump's top diplomat denouncing Beijing's "coercive" moves.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday, affirming Washington does not back Taiwan independence, according to China's foreign ministry, a detail omitted from the American side's read-out.