ANKARA

China signaled Tuesday that it would engage with new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was sanctioned by Beijing in 2020.

"China will firmly defend national interests. In the meantime, it's necessary for high-level Chinese and American officials to maintain contact in an appropriate way," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said in response to a question about whether China would consider dropping sanctions against Rubio, who was been confirmed Monday as secretary of state in the new Trump administration.​​​​​​​ 

China placed sanctions on Rubio along with several US nationals, including lawmakers, in a tit-for-tat measure on a national security law imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing.