Tensions between the U.S. and China have been rising for some time now, and Rubio's appointment has widely been seen as a sign that Trump plans to maintain a hard line on China during his second term. One of the most outspoken China hawks in Washington, Rubio has introduced several bills targeting the Chinese Communist Party.

China's expanding footprint in Latin America is expected to be high on the agenda when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Panama next week on his first overseas trip since taking office, according to observers.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit several countries in Latin America, marking his first regional tour. Recently sworn in, Rubio has engaged in discussions both with Quad countries and various international leaders,

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Central America for his first trip as the top US diplomat. Rubio is expected to depart late next week for Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will likely travel to Central America in the first week of February, a source familiar with the planning said.

Rubio will depart on his first foreign trip to visit countries in Central America that may be vital for carrying out the Trump administration's mass deportation plans.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Central America comes after President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to take the Panama Canal back.

The new US Secretary of State's first trip abroad is dominated by Donald Trump's rigid migration policy and his Panama Canal plans. Marco Rubio is

Marco Rubio's upcoming trip to Central America focuses on reclaiming the Panama Canal, addressing migration, and strengthening U.S. ties in the Western Hemisphere.

Marco Rubio has chosen Panama as the destination of his first visit as US secretary of state. He will discuss the issue of the Panama Canal, which new US President Donald Trump wants back under Washington's control, Vedomosti notes.

The Trump administration has shut down processing centers in Central and South American countries that allowed migrants to apply to come to the United States legally.