Rubio Set to Visit Malaysia for ASEAN Meetings Amid Tariff Tensions

A delegation that includes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a series of high-profile meetings between July 11 and July 12. Rubio’s first official trip to Asia is centered on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) annual conference. The gathering marks a decade of meetings between foreign ministers and leaders from 10 cooperating nations, including Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. Themes of the meetings include sustainability and inclusivity, with a goal of looking to continued success through 2045 and beyond, according to the organization’s website. Rubio’s visit underscores Washington’s renewed focus on the Indo-Pacific region....