Beijing’s lack of clarity about whether it will lift sanctions previously placed on Marco Rubio — the new U.S. secretary of state and a China hawk — has sparked speculation on Chinese social media about whether Rubio will become the first American diplomat in his position who can’t visit China.

China indicated that sanctions on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wouldn’t impact official exchanges, in a sign that Beijing seeks to negotiate with the Trump administration over trade and other disputes.

Rubio called China the "most potent, dangerous adversary" during his confirmation and is expected to work with India, Japan, and Australia to counter this.

In this podcast, ING's Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey share their views on the outlook for commodities markets this year

The Trump administration is discussing a 10% punitive duty on Chinese imports. Trump said the EU also has troubling trade surpluses with the United States.