NEW YORK (Reuters) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met the foreign ministers of Asian allies South Korea and Japan in New York on Monday ahead of a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week.
Analysts say the US allies are anxious that Trump may offer concessions to Xi including over Taiwan and trade in return for an economic win with Beijing.
Officials say both Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung are keen to see the US president during the UN General Assembly in New York, where all three are scheduled to speak on Tuesday.
Trump hosts Xi at the White House in Washington on Thursday.
In addition to concerns about Taiwan, allies will be scrutinising any trade announcements from the summit for their impact on competitiveness relative to China, analysts said.
Even a modest reduction in trade barriers for Beijing could erode their positions.
Rubio and his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun and Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi posed for photos but did not take questions from reporters before their meeting at a New York hotel.
