Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will appeal for lower tariffs when he meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, after President Donald Trump threatened to impose a steeper rate on the Southeast Asian nation.

KUALA LUMPUR - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Southeast Asian counterparts on Thursday in his first visit to Asia since taking office, and will try to reassure them the region is a priority for Washington,

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Malaysia to attend several diplomatic meetings with senior Malaysian government officials. It is his first diplomatic visit to Asia as a member of the Trump administration.