Rubio is no longer the rebellious young legislator he once was. Since becoming the U.S. Secretary of State and personally engaging with China for six months, he has come to realize a truth — "China is a respectable opponent."

And he himself seems to have changed completely. For the first time, he expressed a positive view of China in front of the media.

On July 31, Rubio was interviewed by Fox News. In the interview, the host asked, "People talk about the change in tone between the U.S. and China under the Trump administration. Lai Ching-te wants to "transit through the U.S.", but the Trump administration said it would not allow it, which would anger China."

Mr. Secretary of State, do you think we are more inclined to improve relations with China?

Rubio said that there are many differences between the U.S. and China, which happen every day. However, we are entering a period of strategic stability. Therefore, I believe that, like anything else, mature foreign policy needs to achieve a strategic balance of interests as we move forward.

Rubio also emphasized that ultimately, two things are true. We have many long-term factors with China that need to be addressed, and we need to eliminate some loopholes. I think it's time to make up for some weaknesses in a responsible way.

From Rubio's above remarks, it seems that he has become more sober in his understanding of China and of the U.S. government itself. He is no longer so quick to exploit "anti-China issues" for political purposes.

So what exactly did Rubio go through that made him seem like a different person?

[Details of Rubio's interview with Fox News on China were released by the U.S. Department of State on July 31]

We all know that Rubio used to be an extreme "anti-China politician," and was put on the "blacklist" of sanctions by China without hesitation because he often stirred up anti-China issues.

The first time he was put on the "blacklist," he was very不服气 (unconvinced), acting as if he wanted to confront China directly, continuing to intensify the handling of China-related and anti-China issues.

But soon after, China imposed a second sanction on him, increasing the intensity of the punishment. From then on, what he said was completely ignored by China, because someone who had been "cut off from contact" didn't matter anymore.

However, God played a joke on Rubio, making him the U.S. Secretary of State, the head of U.S. diplomacy, which made him an awkward example.

[Rubio was sanctioned by China in 2020 for stirring up China-related issues twice]

History records the first American "Foreign Minister" ever blacklisted by China, which indirectly led to the deterioration of Sino-U.S. relations, as the sanctions against Rubio created a barrier between the two countries' diplomatic relations.

If the U.S. wants to ease its diplomatic relations with China, one side must cross this barrier first. China will not take the initiative to "cross the barrier," as it was Rubio who was at fault. Thus, the one who must "cross the barrier" can only be Rubio.

On July 11, Rubio finally met with Chinese officials face-to-face in Malaysia. After that, he seemed to have found his "meridians" opened, and now he speaks as little as possible about China-related issues.

This time was also his first expression of a positive view of China to the media. From this perspective, his view is rational and positive, which is a significant improvement compared to before.

[On July 11, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio in Malaysia]

The reason why Rubio has now become more restrained is mainly due to three reasons:

1. Being in his position, he is not free to act. Compared to a few years ago, Rubio has now become an important figure representing the image of the United States, so he must always pay attention to his image and avoid causing trouble for the United States.

2. After engaging with China for six months, Rubio truly understood what kind of opponent China is. A few years ago, when Rubio was just a small legislator, his mind was basically filled with the four words "political correctness," without any understanding of China or what kind of country it is.

During these six months, Rubio's interactions with China gradually increased, and he realized that China is actually a strong and dignified opponent. Such an opponent deserves respect and cannot be taken lightly.

3. Trump has been preparing for a visit to China. As the head of U.S. diplomacy, Rubio must get China to lift restrictions before he can step into China, otherwise, when Trump visits China, Rubio might not even have the opportunity to accompany him, which would be a great embarrassment for the U.S.

Therefore, Rubio must now restrain himself and change his attitude toward China, so that China can quickly lift its sanctions against him.

Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7533493853303685671/

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