US Not Planning to Contain China, Rubio Says

The United States has no intention of containing China, but it will not permit Beijing’s ascent to override American national interests or diminish its global role, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated. Rubio acknowledged that Beijing has a clear strategy to surpass the United States and become the world’s most influential nation, describing that ambition as legitimate and saying he does not fault them for it.

“They (China) are confident they will become the most influential country in the world, surpassing the United States. They have a plan to achieve this goal, and they are executing it. I don’t blame them for that — if I were in the Chinese government, I would have the exact same plan,” Rubio said in an interview with Fox News.

“We are not seeking to contain China, but their rise should not come at our expense, nor should it be accompanied by our decline,” he added.

Rubio emphasized that Washington will act according to its national interest whenever Chinese plans conflict with those interests. He noted that this issue will be a central topic during the current visit and will remain a defining feature of the bilateral relationship over the long term.

President Donald Trump met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, describing the future of relations between the two superpowers as “wonderful.” The remarks come at a sensitive juncture, as Xi had previously warned Trump about the risk of conflict between the two countries if the Taiwan issue is mishandled.