Foreign Minister Penny Wong has held one-on-one talks for the first time with newly sworn-in US secretary of state Marco Rubio.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has sat down with Donald Trump’s new security advisor and Marco Rubio, the first cabinet member to be sworn in.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on his first full day in office Tuesday warned jointly with Japan, India and Australia against coercive actions in Asia, in a veiled but clear warning to China over its actions at sea.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has used her first bilateral meeting with America’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio, to build support for the AUKUS partnership and promote closer economic security under a new Trump administration whose agenda has already unnerved close allies.

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

However, none of the four foreign ministers — Rubio, Australian Penny Wong, Indian S. Jaishankar or Japanese Iwaya Takeshi — spoke as they opened their meeting at the State Department. Instead they stood silent and expressionless in front of their respective flags before journalists were ushered out.

The Quad ministerial meeting of Australia, India, Japan, and the US focused on countering China's influence and maintaining a free Indo-Pacific.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Quad counterparts - India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's Takeshi Iwaya, and Australia's Penny Wong - at the US Department of State here on Tuesday.

Three US officials reportedly said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit Panama as early as next week. The trip is expected to be Rubio’s first foreign travel as secretary of State.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, “The arson attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very, very serious matter…”

First diplomatic engagement of Trump team focuses on eco, security, tech coop in Indo-Pacific; Jaishankar says will think bigger and deepen agenda