U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated on the 28th that China's goal of unifying Taiwan will not be affected by other international events, including U.S. actions against Venezuelan President Maduro.
He said: “The Taiwan issue is a historical legacy.”
He made these remarks while attending a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. This was the first public hearing since the U.S. intervened and ousted Maduro on January 3.
He said Chinese President Xi Jinping has made his intentions very clear, and these are unrelated to what happens elsewhere in the world.
At the hearing, Republican senators almost unanimously praised Trump’s military action against Venezuela, while Democrats were skeptical. They questioned whether Trump’s policy in Venezuela might encourage China to take action on the Taiwan issue.
Closely Watching Zhang Youxia Investigation
Rubio also pointed out that the U.S. is closely watching the investigation of Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, member of the Central Military Commission. Corruption is cited as the cause of the incident.
He stated that the investigation of these officials “is part of a pattern we have seen over the past few years, namely, purges within the military.”
He analyzed: “They [China] have invested a lot of money in the military, and obviously some people have embezzled funds. They are trying to solve this problem. This is an internal issue of their system. They clearly have not shared or discussed these matters with us in depth, but it is undoubtedly a focus of our attention.”
Denying Weakening of NATO
Rubio said that the turmoil within NATO over the Greenland issue is subsiding, and all parties have begun discussions on how to respond to Trump’s demands.
He stated: “I believe in the end we will achieve some positive results.”
He rejected criticism that Trump is weakening NATO, while reiterating the longstanding U.S. stance that NATO member countries need to increase defense spending.
He said: “NATO needs to be reimagined. I just think this president complains louder than previous presidents.”
No Current Plans to Attack Iran
Amid renewed threats from Trump to take military action against Iran, Rubio said there are currently no plans to attack Iran. When asked about the possibility of regime change in Iran, he replied that this requires “very cautious consideration” because its complexity is “far, far greater” than toppling Maduro.