Overview
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told counterparts that an interim U.S.‑India trade deal is “almost complete” after talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Manila, and both sides reviewed tariffs, defence cooperation and critical technologies.
- Rubio met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to manage bilateral tensions ahead of President Xi’s planned U.S. visit and to raise a recent clash between Chinese and Philippine vessels that left a Philippine sailor injured.
- Rubio held a sideline meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to press the prospect of U.S. involvement in reviving talks to end the war in Ukraine and to explore other areas of cooperation.
- Ministers and the Quad issued statements backing a rules‑based Indo‑Pacific and flagged urgent energy and navigation risks after renewed Middle East strikes and threats to the Strait of Hormuz raised alarm about fuel flows.
- Negotiations on a South China Sea code of conduct remain unfinished, leaving regional states exposed to recurring maritime incidents and creating risks for trade, seafarer safety and insurance costs if unresolved.