U.S. Secretary Rubio Joins Trump's Beijing Visit on May 12, Sparks Controversy Over Nike Tech Fleece Outfit

According to White House statements, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accompanied President Donald Trump to Beijing on May 12 for a bilateral summit, marking Rubio’s first visit to China despite being a former target of Chinese sanctions. The White House indicated China had changed the Chinese character notation of Rubio’s name after his appointment as Secretary, reportedly creating a diplomatic distinction from his earlier sanctioned identity. However, photographs taken aboard Air Force One drew controversy in Chinese social media, as Rubio was wearing a gray Nike Tech Fleece jacket reportedly resembling the outfit associated with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro when he was captured by U.S. authorities in January.