China has changed the spelling of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's name to allow him to attend US President Donald Trump's summit in Beijing without officially lifting sanctions that Beijing had previously imposed.
Rubio was sanctioned by China in 2020 for his strong criticism of Chinese policies in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. The sanctions included a ban on entry into Chinese territory.
According to Al Jazeera reporting, Chinese authorities changed the Chinese transliteration of Rubio's surname shortly before he took office as secretary of state in the Trump administration.
The name “Marco Lu” was used instead of the previous version, creating a bureaucratic loophole that technically allowed Beijing to maintain sanctions on the “old name” while simultaneously paving the way for his official visit.
Two diplomats have stated that they believe this change was made precisely because of existing sanctions against Rubio, while the Chinese embassy did not immediately comment on the matter.
Rubio, known for his tough stances on China and the Chinese Communist Party, has been one of the most critical American politicians of Beijing, particularly on issues of human rights and Taiwan.
