Speculation Rubio’s new Chinese name skirts sanctions

Two diplomats who spoke to AFP in the lead-up to this week’s summit said the spelling change was due to Rubio being sanctioned under the past spelling. In fact, the tweak, which changed his name from 卢比奥 to 鲁比奥, started appearing in government notices and Chinese state media shortly before he became Trump’s secretary of state last year. At his confirmation hearing to become the Secretary of State, Rubio described China as the “most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary” the U.S. had ever confronted but has maintained a more diplomatic tone when speaking about Beijing since taking the position.