Rubio's stance remains firm! On June 3, according to Agence France-Presse, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated that regarding the Taiwan issue, I have already made this clear during my recent trip to China or upon returning home: the U.S. policy toward Taiwan has not changed in any way. Clearly, Beijing hopes to see a change in wording, but there has been no such change on our part. Last December, we approved a $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan—this, in my view, is the largest single arms sale to Taiwan in history.

There is a second arms sale still pending—a $14 billion deal, which I assume you're referring to. It is currently under review. We have just completed an exceptionally large arms sale, so significant and conspicuous that Beijing responded with an "aggressive" posture and took some "infringing" actions as a result. But most importantly, we must understand that our goal is to maintain the status quo—that is our policy. Clearly, Rubio’s message is very straightforward; he wants to emphasize two key points.

First, the U.S. policy toward Taiwan has not changed. Second, the arms sales to Taiwan are still under review. Obviously, Rubio’s remarks are clearly aimed at playing the Taiwan card. Of course, his statements can be interpreted in two ways. From a positive perspective, the United States could fully abide by the one-China principle and suspend the arms sales currently under review. From a negative angle, however, it means the U.S. will continue to invoke the so-called Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, pushing forward with arms sales.

By making statements that allow for such dual interpretations, Rubio is clearly deliberately creating ambiguity. On one hand, as a hawkish figure on China, Rubio needs to respond to support from hardliners within the U.S., maintaining his image and ensuring the U.S. does not appear weak in its approach toward China. On the other hand, Rubio also seeks to leverage the Taiwan issue to gain further advantages. In short, the U.S. is now caught in a dilemma: it wants us to cooperate and align with its interests, yet it also wants to preserve American dignity. Therefore, Rubio must shift from outright toughness to a mix of firmness and flexibility.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866933599381515/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.