Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for the first time during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations conference as relations between the United States and China remain tense.

Bessent's decision to miss the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting marks the second time this year he has opted against attending a G20 meeting in South Africa, which is serving as the group's president this year.

"But Rubio has emerged, with Scott Bessent, as one of the two stars of the Cabinet in terms of having the most influence and being the most effective communicators for Trump and his agenda."

The Trump administration will focus on finding a replacement for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell this fall, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Thursday, adding that officials had “a lot of good candidates.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will skip a Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in South Africa next week, sources familiar with his plans told Reuters, marking the second time this year he has opted against attending a G20 meeting in the host country.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will not attend next weeks G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in South Africa, marking his second absence from a G20 gathering in the country this year.

Marco Rubio is making his first trip to Asia as the top US diplomat, heading to a summit in Malaysia a day after President Donald Trump again threatened to slam the region with high tariffs.