The Story Behind US Secretary of State Entering China Due to a Different Spelling of His Name
There’s a unique story behind US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accompanying President Donald Trump on his historic visit to Beijing, China. Rubio had to change the spelling of his name in order to enter China.
As reported by Al Jazeera, AFP, and CNN on Friday, May 15, 2026, Rubio was known for his strong advocacy for human rights in China during his time as a Senator. China retaliated by imposing sanctions on him twice.
China stated that they would not prevent Rubio, now 54 years old, from visiting China for the first time. Chinese officials said the sanctions targeted Rubio’s statements and actions while he was a Senator.
“The sanctions target Mr. Rubio’s statements and actions when he served as a US Senator regarding China,” said Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy.
China reportedly found a diplomatic solution after Trump appointed Rubio as Secretary of State and his national security advisor. Shortly before he took office in January 2025, the Chinese government and state media began transliterating the first syllable of his last name with a different Chinese character for ‘Lu’.
This change in the spelling of Rubio’s name allowed Beijing to welcome Rubio without lifting the sanctions. This was seen as a way for China to maintain the ability to impose sanctions on Rubio on other occasions.
The difference in the spelling of Rubio’s name was also reportedly visible on the nameplates in the meeting room. Rubio’s name was written as ‘Lu Bi’ao’ with different characters when China announced sanctions against Rubio in 2020. The difference in the characters used to spell Rubio’s name was clear, although the pronunciation was almost the same.
Two diplomats believe that this change was a quick way for China to avoid imposing sanctions on Rubio, who was banned from entering with his old spelling. A US State Department official only confirmed that Rubio was traveling with Trump.
Rubio’s presence on Air Force One quickly drew attention for another reason after the White House released a photo of him relaxing in Nike sportswear, similar to what Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wore when US forces captured him. Rubio is of Cuban-American descent and a vocal opponent of communism, and he was the main author of a congressional bill that imposed broad sanctions on China over alleged forced labor of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority.
Beijing has strongly denied these allegations. Rubio has also spoken out against Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong.
During his confirmation hearing as Secretary of State, Rubio was very focused on China, which he described as an unprecedented adversary. However, since taking office, Rubio has supported Trump, who has described Xi Jinping as a friend and focused on building trade relations while downplaying human rights concerns.