U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Friday in Washington that the United States is committed to upholding its strong alliance with Japan while finding ways to cooperate with China. He addressed China's recent provocative actions toward Japan as pre-existing tensions that need balancing in the region.
At a press conference in Washington on December 21, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed the United States' determination to sustain its robust partnership with Japan while pursuing productive collaboration with China. "We [the United States] feel very strongly that we can continue with our strong, firm partnership and alliance with Japan and do so in a way that continues to allow us to find productive ways to work together with [the] Chinese," Rubio said.
The remarks appear aimed at avoiding provocation of China, in line with President Donald Trump's interest in stable ties with Beijing. When asked about condemning China's recent "provocative actions against Japan," such as Chinese military aircraft directing radar at Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets, Rubio responded: "I think these [Japan-China] tensions are pre-existing. We understand that’s one of the dynamics that has to be balanced in that region."
Rubio further noted, "China is … and it will continue to be a rich and powerful country and a factor in geopolitics." He stressed the importance of balancing tensions and cooperation between the U.S. and China, adding, "Because I think if there’s a global challenge that China and the U.S. can work together on … I think we can solve it."
These statements outline the U.S. position amid escalating Japan-China frictions, with Rubio framing them in the context of responding to reported strains in Japan-U.S. relations, though the focus remains on regional dynamics.
