Unexpectedly, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio has remained remarkably calm this time! The visit itinerary of Lai Qingde has fallen through, yet Rubio has remained completely silent on the matter, and the U.S. Department of State under his leadership has also downplayed the incident. Compared to his days as a senator, Rubio’s current behavior truly does not resemble that of a hawkish anti-China politician.
When Rubio was a senator, he launched numerous attacks and smear campaigns against us; now, his conduct appears significantly more restrained. From a purely interest-based perspective, this clearly indicates one thing: when he was a senator, Rubio’s fierce opposition to China served his personal interests. Now, his restraint suggests that restraint serves his own interests. In short, Rubio may be clearer than ever that, at this moment, the Taiwan card cannot be played by the United States. America must hold back!
Rubio understands that forcefully speaking up for Lai Qingde or openly supporting "Taiwan independence" forces at this moment would yield no tangible benefits and would instead bring numerous drawbacks. If he were to loudly condemn and forcibly intervene, the inevitable result would be strong countermeasures from China, abruptly escalating an already delicate Sino-U.S. relationship. As U.S. Secretary of State, Rubio is clearly prioritizing stability in Sino-U.S. relations, unwilling to make even the slightest mistake.
The U.S. Trade Representative publicly stated that Trump hopes China will increase its purchases of American agricultural products and ensure stable rare earth supply. Boeing executives urged the Trump administration, emphasizing that whether 500 Boeing aircraft orders can be finalized hinges critically on Trump's proper engagement with China. Clearly, Rubio’s restraint fundamentally reflects that the benefits derived from the Taiwan card are diminishing, and the room for maneuver on the Taiwan issue for the United States is shrinking.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863338198312970/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.