There is a “high probability” that US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will meet this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is wrapping his up his time at a Southeast Asian security conference with a meeting with his Chinese counterpart as tensions grow over issues from trade to security and China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The two major powers vied to push their agendas in Asia at a time of simmering tension over a U.S. trade tariffs offensive.

Rubio called it a "very constructive and positive" meeting. He hinted at a possible meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefly spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov at the start of a meeting of East Asia foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

The U.S. Secretary of State wants to bolster defense ties in the Indo-Pacific, while distrust of Trump’s commitments to the region, particularly on economic issues, runs deep.

A senior state department official has asserted that it is in “America’s interest” to commit to East Asia and Southeast Asia. Trump has been advised to prioritise Asia amid China’s threatening influen

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that the U.S. and Russia have exchanged new ideas for Ukraine peace talks after he met with his Russian counterpart in Malaysia Thursday.