US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has identified Washington’s relationship with Beijing as the primary political challenge. In an interview with Fox News aboard Air Force One before his trip to China on Wednesday, he stated, “The US is not seeking to contain China, but their rise cannot come at America’s expense.” He added, “Their advancement should not cause our decline. When China’s plans conflict with US national interests, we must make the right decisions for the United States.”
Rubio also indicated that the Iran conflict would be a key focus of talks between former President Trump and Xi Jinping. He expressed Washington’s hope that Beijing would play a “more active role” in resolving this crisis, considering it a significant threat to Asia. He explained, “Asia’s energy supply is heavily dependent on those waterways.” He further stated, “Resolving this issue is also in China’s interest. We want to persuade them to take a more active role in persuading Iran to step back from its current actions in the Persian Gulf.”
