U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Malaysia this week for meetings of Southeast Asian Nations in his first trip to Asia as America's top diplomat, the State Department said Monday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump announced hefty tariffs on the hosts and other regional partners and allies.
The State Department billed the July 8 to 12 trip as a move to reaffirm Washington's commitment to the Indo-Pacific.
Hours later, Trump said he would impose 25% tariffs from August 1 on imports from Japan and South Korea, key U.S. regional allies and vital partners in countering China's growing might.
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