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Rubio, Quad partners warn Beijing over sea moves




WASHINGTON, D.C., January 23 ------ United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on his first full day in office, warned jointly with Japan, India and Australia against coercive moves in Asia, in a veiled but clear warning to China over its maritime actions.  

  

Rubio met in Washington with his counterparts from the so-called Quad a day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has vowed to push back against a rising China. But the gathering also marks a contrast with Trump's frequent dismissal of US allies and partners, with the returning US president on Tuesday threatening tariffs against the European Union. 

  

In a joint statement, Rubio and his counterparts promised to work toward a "free and open Indo-Pacific," deploying a codeword against Chinese assertiveness that has been utilized by US administrations from both major political parties. The four said they supported a region "where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended." "We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion," they added. 

  

The ministers confirmed they would work to hold a Quad summit previously scheduled for this year in India, which would mean an early trip by Trump to the growing US partner often viewed in Washington as a bulwark against China. Rubio also met separately with each minister. With Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, Rubio discussed North Korea and "joint efforts against China's destabilizing actions," State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said. China has had worsening friction with the Philippines, a US ally, as it stakes claims in territorial disputes. 

  

Rubio, in his confirmation hearing, also vowed to deter China against an invasion of Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island it claims as its own. During his campaign, Trump rattled Taiwan by saying it needed to pay the US protection money, and Trump's nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, made headlines at his confirmation hearing by not being able to name a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes the Philippines. The Quad was envisioned by late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and expanded into a leaders' summit by former president Joe Biden. China has repeatedly lashed out at the Quad, saying it is a US plot to encircle the rising Asian power. 

  

When interests align 

Rubio, a three-term Republican senator from Florida who was unanimously confirmed by his peers on Monday, arrived at the State Department with a promise to defend US diplomats — often maligned by his party — while also pursuing Trump's belief in "America First." "I expect every nation on earth to advance their national interests. And in those instances — and I hope there will be man in which our national interests and theirs align, we look forward to working with them," Rubio said. "We recognize that there will be those times, unfortunately, as humans interact with one another because of our nature that there will be conflict," he added. "We will seek to prevent them and avoid them, but never at the expense of our national security." 

  

With Trump's return, a slew of senior career diplomats quit their posts at the State Department as the new administration pushes to bring in political appointees it sees as loyal. Addressing employees with his wife and four children by his side, Rubio said: "There will be changes." "But the changes are not meant to be destructive; they're not meant to be punitive," he added. "But we need to move faster than we ever have because the world is changing faster than we ever have." 

  

Source: manilatimes.net   

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