Secretary of State Marco Rubio met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi Friday on the sidelines of ASEAN talks in Malaysia, where Trump's tariffs are in sharp focus.

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

Rubio said the U.S. tariffs imposed on many Asian countries, including the heaviest levies on China, were a top complaint at the summit.