US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi Friday on the sidelines of ASEAN talks in Malaysia, where Washington'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.

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.