TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview Wednesday that the US opposes any attempt to forcibly or coercively change Taiwan’s status.
During a Fox News interview host Brian Kilmeade asked Rubio how committed he and Trump are to defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion as soon as 2027. Rubio said China will inevitably become stronger and the US must face this reality and respond accordingly.
"What we cannot have is a world where China is so powerful, we depend on them," said Rubio. He said if the US wants to avoid reliance on China, it must develop its domestic production capacity.
Rubio said this is one of the key reasons behind Trump’s strong push for tariff policies. He argued that the US has allowed too many industries from rare earth minerals to pharmaceuticals to fall under Chinese control.
Rubio reiterated that the US will not deviate from its long-standing position on Taiwan. “We are against any forced, compelled, coercive change in the status of Taiwan."
He said this stance has remained unchanged since the late 1970s and will continue to be upheld.
Rubio also highlighted the need for the US to strengthen its military capabilities in response to the growing threat from China. He noted the US is falling behind in key areas, such as aircraft manufacturing and shipbuilding, adding that China can build ten ships in the time it takes the US to build one.
The secretary of state described this as a “very serious vulnerability” that must be addressed. He indicated US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Trump are formulating a plan to bolster the US military.
When asked how the US would respond if it received intelligence at 2 a.m. indicating that China was invading Taiwan, Rubio reaffirmed that the US has “existing commitments that it has made to prevent that from happening and to react to it, and that would be executed on.” He added that “the Chinese are aware of this as well.”
Rubio said the best way to prevent such a scenario is to maintain the capability to respond decisively. He said if China perceives that the US cannot respond or sees weak leadership, it may be tempted to test the situation.
He said this scenario must be avoided and warned that this “would be a terrible thing for the world” and China.
When asked whether he would convey these views to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅), Rubio said the US has already made its position clear, and China is well aware of it.
Rubio recalled telling Wang that while China is a nuclear power and the world’s second-largest economy, meaning the US must engage with it, the relationship must remain balanced. He warned that if China attempts to dominate the relationship, “then we are going to have a conflict, and we don’t want that.”
Also on Wednesday, Trump was asked during a Cabinet meeting if it's his policy that China will not be allowed to use force to take Taiwan during his presidency. Trump responded, “I never comment on that. I don't comment on it because I don't want to ever put myself in that position,” per Reuters.
Trump then said he has a “great relationship” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) and welcomed Chinese investment in the US. He indicated that US investment in China would also increase and that Washington's relationship with Beijing would be “a very good one.”
