Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday he had "zero doubt" that China has a contingency plan to shut down the Panama Canal in the event of a conflict with the U.S. and that Washington intends to address what it sees as a national security threat.
Rubio said he could not predict if Trump would succeed in buying Greenland from Denmark or restoring American authority over the Panama Canal while he is in office.
China’s foreign minister conveyed the message in a phone call, their first conversation since Marco Rubio’s confirmation as Trump’s top diplomat.
Secretary of State Rubio spoke with China's Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
China's top diplomat held his first phone conversation with the new US secretary of state on Friday, days after Donald Trump's return to the White House brought more uncertainty to relations. Since then,
US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Thursday claimed that the history of the 21st century would revolve around relations between US and China, and also described the country as grave threat to America's national security.
While Rubio’s anti-China rhetoric aligns with Washington’s broader geopolitical goals, the tools at his disposal are insufficient to match Beijing’s economic engagement.
Rubio called China the "most potent, dangerous adversary" during his confirmation and is expected to work with India, Japan, and Australia to counter this.
A key focus of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Central America this week — his first trip as America’s top diplomat — will be to counter China’s growing influence in the region, the State Department’s top spokesperson said this week,
Secretary of State Marco Rubio embarks soon on his inaugural trip as the United States’ top diplomat. His first stop, Panama could prove to be the most contentious on the itinerary.
NEW YORK, January 31. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington needs to engage in contacts with China and Russia, and to do so at the highest levels. "Ultimately when you’re dealing with great powers like China, it’s going to be at the highest levels <…> and that interaction will happen. In the case of Russia, the same," he said.