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Why Marco Rubio changed his name to 'Marco Lu' during Trump's Beijing visit; China ban row explained
Marco Rubio reportedly entered China under the name “Marco Lu” despite an active ban tied to his past comments on Uyghurs.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is banned from China since 2020 for his comments in on China's alleged abuse of Uyghur Muslims. But he was in Beijing as part of Trump's convoy, leaving many confused.
Marco Rubio is still banned in China. AFP reports that his entry into the country took place with a diplomatic workaround in which his name was changed to "Marco Lu."
AFP reported, citing a spokesperson from Beijing, reported that despite concerns over the comments made by Rubio when he was a Senator, the country did not block his visit. It was Trump's first visit to the country for the first time since he took office in 2024.
The report by AFP cited two diplomats to confirm that since the ban is under effect based on his name spelling, his surname was replaced with the Chinese word "Lu."
“The sanctions target Mr. Rubio’s words and deeds when he served as a US senator concerning China,” a spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in the US said. So far, the White House has not responded to the reports.
What Did Marco Rubio Say About Uyghur?
Rubio, one of China's fiercest critics as a GOP Senator, has made a series of allegations against the Chinese Communist Party. He has accused PRC of “genocide” of Uyghur Muslims, a claim that China denies.
Also read: Trade truce, Iran war and more on cards: Trump-Xi set for high-stakes meet today
"If I told you that somewhere on this planet over a million people have been incarcerated and have had to undergo what they sort of - efforts to strip them of their identity, their faith. You would say, that’s an outrage," he said in an NPR interview.
Then, in a 2021 video statement he said: "The Chinese Communist Party is committing atrocities against Uyghurs and other ethnic groups in Xinjiang. More than one million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims are detained in camps and subjected to forced labor. Uyghur women have been victims of rape, sexual violence, forced sterilization, and forced abortions."
Trump Schedule In China
Trump arrives in Beijing, China, on Wednesday afternoon. He will visit the Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Thursday. He will hold a bilateral meeting after which President Xi Jinping.
Regarding the purpose of the visit, Trump told the reporters that he plans to discuss "a lot of different things." The visit is under a lot of scrutiny amid the economic strains of the Iran war. China, notably, imports more than 90% of Iran's crude oil.
However, Trump has said that he does not plan to discuss the Iran war situation with Xi Jinping.
