Chinese Readout on Wang Yi's Call with Rubio

Half an hour ago, the newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Wang Yi. During the call, Wang Yi reiterated that the Chinese government’s goal is to improve the quality of life for its people and make greater contributions to the world. He emphasized that China has no intention of surpassing or replacing the United States but must safeguard its legitimate right to development. Wang Yi also called on Rubio to work with him to implement the consensus recently reached during the phone call between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump and to find a way for China and the U.S. to coexist appropriately in this new era.

An intriguing detail is the recent adjustment of Marco Rubio’s Chinese transliteration. Previously referred to as "卢比奥" in Chinese, his name has been changed to "鲁比奥."

On January 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was asked during a routine press conference whether this change signified that Rubio was no longer under Chinese sanctions. Mao responded, “I have not noticed this matter, but I can look into it. I think what’s more important is his English name.”

It is worth noting that as early as January 16, the Foreign Ministry quietly removed all previous sanction announcements against Rubio from its website and began using the new transliteration, “鲁比奥.”

On January 21, Xinhua News Agency’s Reference News (参考消息) officially published a name list announcement, standardizing Marco Rubio’s Chinese name as “马尔科·鲁比奥.” According to Chinese government practice, the translation of foreign leaders’ and public figures’ names follows strict standards, with Xinhua’s announcements serving as the official guideline. All domestic media and government agencies, including the People’s Daily and the Foreign Ministry’s translation team, must adhere to these standards. Errors in name translation are considered serious diplomatic and editorial lapses in China.

As a previous practitioner in diplomatic law, I believe that even if the sanctions were maintained, they would not pose any obstacles to Rubio’s visit to China. Since he is now the chief diplomat of the United States, under customary international law, he should enjoy special mission immunity, exempting him from China’s entry bans related to sanctions.

However, in international politics, it is uncommon for one country to sanction another’s head of state, government leader, or senior diplomats, as doing so could lead to a complete breakdown in relations. When Rubio was previously sanctioned, he was a U.S. senator, but now, as Secretary of State, he is responsible for managing U.S.-China diplomatic relations.

Reports indicate that President Trump hopes to visit China within his first 100 days in office, and Rubio will inevitably accompany him. It seems that both China and the U.S. are working to remove obstacles for this significant upcoming visit, paving the way for a new balance in U.S.-China relations.

At the same January 22 press conference, when Mao Ning was asked whether the renaming to "鲁比奥" signaled that China had lifted sanctions, Mao responded: "As for the sanctions, my colleague already explained China's position yesterday. What I can tell you is that China's sanctions target actions and statements that harm China's legitimate interests."

In my view, this response is quite tactful. The subtext seems to be that China's sanctions are not directed at Rubio as a person but rather at anti-China "actions and statements." The problem would be whether the sanctions will potentially be removed if such actions cease or if the rhetoric softens.

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Transcript of Chinese Readout of Wang-Rubio call:

Wang Yi’s Call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio

On January 24, 2025, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio upon request.

Wang Yi stated that President Xi Jinping had an important phone conversation with President Donald Trump last Friday, during which they reached a series of consensuses. China-U.S. relations have entered a new and significant phase. President Xi comprehensively elaborated on China’s policy toward the United States, and President Trump responded positively, expressing his hope to maintain a good relationship with President Xi and emphasizing that cooperation between China and the U.S. can address many global challenges.

Wang Yi noted that the two heads of state have pointed the way forward and set the tone for China-U.S. relations. The teams from both sides must implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders, uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, maintain communication, manage differences, expand cooperation, and promote stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations. This is key to finding a correct way for the two countries to coexist in the new era.

Wang Yi emphasized that the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the choice of the Chinese people. China’s development follows a clear historical logic and possesses strong intrinsic momentum. China's goal is to improve the quality of life for its people and make greater contributions to the world. China has no intention of surpassing or replacing anyone but must safeguard its legitimate right to development.

Wang Yi also reiterated China’s principled stance on the Taiwan issue, urging the U.S. to handle it with utmost caution. He stressed that Taiwan has always been part of China’s territory and that China will never allow Taiwan to be separated from the country. The U.S. made solemn commitments to uphold the One-China policy in the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiqués, and it must not renege on its promises.

Rubio stated that the U.S. and China are two great nations, and the U.S.-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century, shaping the future of the world. The U.S. is willing to engage in candid communication with China, manage differences in a mature and cautious manner, address global challenges together, and uphold world peace and stability. The U.S. does not support "Taiwan independence" and hopes the Taiwan issue can be resolved peacefully in a manner acceptable to both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Wang Yi remarked that major powers must act as major powers, shoulder their international responsibilities, safeguard world peace, and help achieve common development for all nations. He expressed hope that Rubio would “behave yourself” and play a constructive role for the future of the Chinese and American peoples as well as for global peace and stability.

The U.S. State Department’s press release:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with China’s Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Secretary Rubio emphasized that the Trump Administration will pursue a U.S.-PRC relationship that advances U.S. interests and puts the American people first. The Secretary also stressed the United States’ commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China’s coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea. The Secretary also discussed other issues of bilateral, regional, and global importance with his Chinese counterpart.

The positive elements highlighted in the Chinese readout were noticeably absent from Rubio's version of the conversation.

For example, instead of reiterating the Chinese version’s emphasis on "not supporting Taiwan independence," Rubio's readout shifted the focus to expressing "serious concern over China’s coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea." This reflects a stark contrast in framing—while the Chinese side presented the Taiwan issue in terms of peaceful resolution and adherence to existing policies, the U.S. readout adopted a critical tone, emphasizing perceived threats and provocations by China.

There was also no language expressing something akin to "the readiness of the U.S. side to conduct candid communication with China, properly handle differences, and manage bilateral relations in a mature and prudent manner," which was a key message in the Chinese account. Such statements signal a willingness to engage constructively, yet they were missing from Rubio's remarks.