U.S. Secretary of State Rubio insists that the United States has not withdrawn from the world stage.
At his first appearance as Secretary of State before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the 20th, he stated that the reforms he oversees are not intended to dismantle U.S. foreign policy or drive the U.S. off the world stage.
He said, 'I have visited 18 countries in 18 weeks, and that doesn't sound like 'quitting'.'
He emphasized that the Trump administration is not withdrawing from international affairs but is instead promoting a 'necessary reorganization'.
He insisted that many of the cuts were not in the interest of the United States and refuted claims that China was filling the gaps left by U.S. aid reductions.
He said, 'A mature foreign policy requires a balance of interests, and our human rights agenda varies in different parts of the world. This doesn't mean we are abandoning it entirely.'
He pointed out that some projects are 'entirely reasonable' and good projects, while others are completely meaningless.
Facing strong criticism from Democratic senators over his support for cutting the diplomatic budget, abandoning traditional allies, and being too soft on China and Russia, Rubio firmly rebutted these claims, specifically naming China and Russia as threats to the current world order.
When discussing China, Rubio criticized China for posing a direct threat to the United States through 'unfair trade practices, technology theft, and drug smuggling'.
He said, 'We are ending the era of allowing China to abuse the trade system, steal American technology, and send fentanyl to the United States.'
He also mentioned China's control over multiple countries' rare earth resources through corruption and political infiltration, especially in Africa and Latin America.
He said, 'We provide aid to help countries survive, yet China uses bribery to gain control over resources. This is not just an economic issue but a strategic one.'