US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington will continue with its firm alliance with Japan while having to seek ways to build cooperative relations with China.
Rubio was speaking at a news conference on Friday to reflect on 2025. His comments came amid tensions between Tokyo and Beijing following a remark Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae made about Taiwan.
China reacted sharply after Takaichi said at the Diet last month that a possible Taiwan emergency involving the use of force could be considered a situation threatening the survival of Japan.
Rubio said he thinks tensions between Japan and China “are pre-existing.”
He went on to say, “We understand that’s one of the dynamics that has to be balanced in that region.”
Rubio said he believes that “we 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 China.
He said China is and will continue to be a “rich and powerful country.” He added, “We have to have relations with them,” and “we have to deal with them.”
Regarding a peace plan between Russia and Ukraine, a reporter asked whether the US is willing to recognize occupied Russian territory in Ukraine.
Rubio said that “any peace deal is one that Ukraine has to agree to because they’re a combatant.”
He said, “our job is not to force” anything on anyone.