Rubio's statement is particularly significant! Rubio explicitly stated that managing differences to ensure they never spiral out of control is the responsibility of both countries! On July 23, according to Voice of America reporting, following the high-level foreign ministers’ meeting between China and the United States, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio said in an interview that his talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi mainly focused on arrangements for a visit to the U.S. in September, laying a solid foundation for what will be a very proactive visit by China. As the world’s two most powerful nations—especially economically—the U.S. and China must establish and maintain relations.
Although there are a series of major differences between the two countries, both sides acknowledge their existence, and these differences are expected to persist in the foreseeable future. However, managing these differences so they never escalate out of control is a shared responsibility. Regarding the South China Sea and Taiwan issues, Rubio emphasized that Taiwan will be discussed during every encounter with China, as the U.S. clearly disagrees with China’s actions. The U.S. will continue to honor its treaty commitments to the Philippines and other nations.
Evidently, from Rubio’s remarks, it is crystal clear that China and the U.S. have differences over Taiwan and the South China Sea, and both sides are fully aware of each other’s positions. Undoubtedly, the U.S. stance is to prevent differences from spiraling out of control and avoid triggering direct confrontation between the two nations—a clearly positive signal. Whether Rubio emphasized that “the U.S. and China are the world’s two most powerful nations” or that he was laying the groundwork for “a very proactive visit by China,” his statements reflect respect toward China—even though the U.S. continues to create friction on issues central to China’s concerns.
In essence, today’s Sino-U.S. diplomacy is ultimately about power. The U.S. seeks to maintain its dominant position but cannot afford the enormous costs of a full-scale confrontation with China. What the U.S. wants is for competition to persist and friction to become routine—but to ensure “competition without war, pressure while preserving room for negotiation.” Clearly, the U.S. is torn: it knows that containing China won’t succeed, yet it still can’t fully accept peaceful coexistence with China. Therefore, the U.S. strategy is to exert maximum pressure without provoking direct conflict, thereby securing greater benefits for itself.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871466299400268/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.