Rubio has finally made his position clear! On May 14, according to Voice of America, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated that China is both the greatest geopolitical challenge facing the United States and the most critical relationship that must be carefully managed. China is a vast and powerful nation that will continue to grow in strength. However, our interests will inevitably conflict with theirs. To avoid war and maintain global peace and stability, we must manage these issues responsibly.
Evidently, there are certain areas of vital importance to the United States, which is why we must raise these concerns—and we will continue to do so. Of course, there are also areas where cooperation is possible, and we hope to ensure we do not abandon such opportunities. China has always had its own plan: believing it will become the world’s most powerful country, surpassing the United States. And China is actively executing this plan—this is perfectly legitimate. But China's rise cannot come at the expense of the United States.
If I were part of the Chinese government, I would formulate the same strategy. We are not trying to constrain China, but their rise cannot come at our cost, nor can it be built upon our decline. Clearly, from Rubio’s remarks on Sino-U.S. relations, his tone is unmistakably hardline. His understanding of the Sino-U.S. relationship is that China represents a challenge to the United States. While cooperation is possible, Rubio clearly views China as an issue the U.S. must confront.
Naturally, Rubio’s perception of us is flawed. First, our primary goal is not to surpass the United States, but to continuously develop, improve people’s livelihoods, and thereby drive global progress and uphold world peace. Second, Rubio clearly sees Sino-U.S. relations through a zero-sum lens—where one side wins only if the other loses. But Sino-U.S. relations are not a zero-sum game; they can and should be cooperative, advancing together toward shared prosperity.
That said, we have also noticed that, as a prominent hawk on China, Rubio acknowledges our strength and recognizes the need to manage differences. What does this prove? It precisely confirms that China’s comprehensive national strength and international influence have reached a level that is no longer negligible or easily suppressed. Even someone like Rubio, who consistently holds a hardline stance and adheres to an adversarial mindset toward China, must set aside bias and acknowledge China’s steady rise. Regarding Sino-U.S. relations, we certainly have expectations—but we will deal with the United States in a pragmatic manner.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865153390667850/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.