US Senator Marco Rubio testifies earlier than a Senate International Relations Committee listening to on his nomination to be Secretary of State, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2025. Agence France-Presse
WASHINGTON — Marco Rubio, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, mentioned Wednesday {that a} “harmful” China cheated its technique to superpower standing as he vowed to ramp up help to discourage an invasion of Taiwan.
Rubio laid out his worldview to fellow senators at a affirmation listening to that happened simply as Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire of their 15-month struggle, a long-sought aim of President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration.
Rubio, who is anticipated to safe affirmation simply, described China as “probably the most potent and harmful near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted” and warned of drastic impacts if the US doesn’t act.
READ: Trump appointments sign ‘existential’ combat with China
“If we keep on the highway we’re on proper now, in lower than 10 years nearly all the pieces that issues to us in life will depend upon whether or not China will enable us to have it or not — all the pieces from the blood strain medication we take to what motion pictures we get to look at,” Rubio mentioned.
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He vowed to ramp up defenses of Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island claimed by Beijing, to forestall a “cataclysmic army intervention.”
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“We have to wrap our head round the truth that until one thing dramatic modifications, like an equilibrium (between China and Taiwan), the place they conclude that the prices of intervening in Taiwan are too excessive, we’re going to should cope with this earlier than the top of this decade,” Rubio mentioned.
No ‘main’ position in Nato?
Trump had raised questions throughout his marketing campaign over Taiwan by insisting it doesn’t pay sufficient for its personal protection — comparable criticism he has manufactured from Nato allies.
Rubio distanced himself from discuss of exiting Nato however mentioned the US wanted to ask whether or not to retain “the first protection position” within the alliance or be a “backstop to aggression,” with Europeans taking extra duty.
READ: With Marco Rubio as prime diplomat, US to extend deal with Latin America
A staunch backer of Ukraine after its invasion by Russia practically three years in the past, Rubio has allied with Trump in promising “daring diplomacy” that may require concessions on each side.
“This struggle has to finish, and I feel it must be the official coverage of the US that we need to see it finish,” Rubio mentioned, a shift from Biden’s strategy of supporting Ukraine by means of victory.
Rubio additionally backed the diplomacy that reached the Gaza ceasefire however made clear that he’ll staunchly again Israel, after Biden’s occasional criticism of the toll to civilians.
“How can any nation-state on the planet coexist facet by facet with a gaggle of savages like Hamas?” Rubio mentioned.
Denouncing ‘liberal world order’
Rubio rejected a key tenet of Biden’s international coverage — prioritizing a rules-based, US-led “liberal world order” — in favor of Trump’s perception in “America First.”
“The postwar world order isn’t just out of date; it’s now a weapon getting used towards us,” Rubio mentioned.
“We welcomed the Chinese language Communist Celebration into this world order. And so they took benefit of all its advantages. However they ignored all its obligations and obligations,” Rubio mentioned.
“As a substitute, they’ve lied, cheated, hacked and stolen their technique to world superpower standing, at our expense.”
Rubio, the son of working-class Cuban immigrants, would change into the primary Hispanic and first fluent Spanish speaker to be the highest US diplomat.
Well liked by his colleagues, Rubio is without doubt one of the least contentious of Trump’s array of nominees. Democratic Senator Cory Booker addressed him as “Marco” and referred to as him a “thought chief” earlier than complimenting his sports activities data.
A standard Republican hawk, Rubio clashed bitterly with Trump — who mocked him as “Little Marco” — within the 2016 presidential nomination race, however Rubio since come into the fold.
Different nominees in Senate hearings Wednesday included Pam Bondi, tapped for the highest legislation enforcement job of lawyer common.
Trump named her after his first alternative, Matt Gaetz, withdrew following allegations that he paid for intercourse, together with with an underage lady, at drug-fueled events.
Bondi obtained a well mannered reception from senators.
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She mentioned she was open to supporting pardons on a “case-by-case foundation” for some convicted over the 2021 riot on the US Capitol by a pro-Trump mob however mentioned she would “condemn any violence” towards legislation enforcement.
