ISTANBUL

Sanctions on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio were related to his time as senator, China said Monday as Beijing prepares for a visit by US President Donald Trump.

“China’s sanctions were aimed at Mr Rubio’s China-related words and deeds when he served as a senator,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

The statement comes as Rubio is likely to accompany Trump on a China trip scheduled for later this month.

In August 2020, Beijing sanctioned 11 US citizens, including then-Senator Rubio, seen as a tit-for-tat measure regarding Hong Kong.

Washington had imposed sanctions on at least 11 Hong Kong officials over the national security law, which was implemented in the semi-autonomous region following year-long protests in 2019.

While the White House announced Trump’s Beijing trip on March 31, China had yet to release details and said it was in communication with the US.

During his two-day trip – and the first since he returned to the White House last year – Trump will reportedly restrict his visit to the Chinese capital Beijing.