Uncertainty in Asia over Trump’s top diplomat pick

Beijing on Tuesday called for the United States to further develop Sino-US relations after president-elect Donald Trump tapped ­ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state.

The announcement by Trump to pick Tillerson, an oilman with strong links to Russia, is seen by ­observers as a sign that relations between Washington and Moscow may get closer.

But it’s unclear how ties with China and the rest of Asia will shape up because he has not spent much time in the region.

At a daily briefing in Beijing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang said China was willing to improve Sino-US relations regardless of who became the US secretary of state.

“We hope that organisations responsible for diplomacy between the two nations can step up communications and deepen ­cooperation and to play a ­constructive role to the healthy development of Sino-US relationship,” he said.

Tillerson’s experience in diplomacy stems from making deals with foreign countries for the world’s largest energy company, although questions have been raised by US politicians about the oil executive’s relationship with Russia.

In a statement, Trump said Tillerson will be “a forceful and clear-eyed advocate for America’s vital national interests, and help reverse years of misguided foreign policies and actions that have weakened America’s security and standing in the world”.