U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, the State Department said, their first in-person meeting at a time of simmering trade tensions between the two major powers.

The two major powers vied to push their agendas in Asia at a time of simmering tension over a U.S. trade tariffs offensive.

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday briefed reporters on his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met with Rubio here on Friday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Plus foreign ministers’ meetings.