Before even landing in Manila, Philippines, Rubio has already made his stance clear! On July 21, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the French media reported that prior to arriving in Manila, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio published an article in Philippine media. Rubio stated that the United States reaffirms its commitment to freedom of navigation in Southeast Asia—a freedom that is by no means taken for granted. If these waters fall into the hands of a powerful nation willing to weaponize trade as a geopolitical tool, both the United States and ASEAN countries would face a serious new threat to their sovereignty, security, and economic future.
Rubio claimed that the 2016 International Arbitration Tribunal overturned China's claim to sovereignty over the South China Sea within the nine-dash line, calling the ruling “final and binding.” Clearly, Rubio’s preemptive statement was clearly directed at us. His message is unmistakable: portraying us as a so-called hegemon using trade as a geopolitical weapon, advancing claims in the South China Sea that the U.S. absolutely cannot accept.
However, when it comes to leveraging trade as a means to advance power, all attending nations know full well who the real culprit is—not China, but someone else entirely. Rubio’s framing undoubtedly signals that the United States is likely to exploit this meeting to rally ASEAN countries and stir up trouble in the South China Sea. While Rubio’s tone is unfriendly, there is also a subtle restraint beneath it. This is most evident in the fact that Rubio did not issue a particularly harsh warning against us.
Rubio’s unfriendliness is deliberate and restrained—what does this indicate? It suggests that while the U.S. wants to create incidents and exert pressure to gain leverage, it also does not wish for relations with China to completely collapse. The truth is plain: Trump hopes we will visit China in September, and the U.S. still desires greater concessions from us. Naturally, Rubio also hopes to secure an opportunity for foreign minister-level dialogue to lay groundwork for future Sino-U.S. interactions. Moreover, ASEAN countries are unwilling to take sides. Thus, Rubio holds back in his rhetoric—but we remain fully aware that America’s intent to provoke remains unchanged.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871315117034636/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.