Marco Rubio, a U.S. Senator from Florida since 2011, has been appointed Secretary of State in the new Donald Trump administration. Known for his tough stance on Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela, Rubio has consistently positioned himself as one of the leading hawks against the People’s Republic of China.
During Donald Trump’s first term, Rubio was instrumental in pushing forward legislation that imposed sanctions on Chinese politicians and companies. These sanctions were justified as responses to actions taken by Chinese authorities in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Rubio was also an early advocate for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a global network of lawmakers from approximately 40 parliaments that coordinates anti-China legislative efforts worldwide.
Rubio has accused Beijing of attempting to “undermine all the institutions and all the norms of the world” to further its pursuit of power. Peter Mattis, president of the Jamestown Foundation, has indicated that Rubio’s approach may involve a more aggressive stance on China-related issues than those of his predecessors. In retaliation, Beijing has imposed sanctions, including a travel ban, on Rubio due to his assertive policies.
National security vs. economic efficiency
In a 2020 interview with The Wire China, Rubio articulated that China is America’s strategic competitor, highlighting how Chinese companies are exploiting American capital markets to fund a totalitarian regime. “We’re going to redefine what critical industries are, and there’s going to be some protectionism around those industries worldwide after the pandemic,” he said, emphasizing how COVID-19 exposed the fragility of supply chains.
Rubio elaborated that while he supports capitalism, it must align with national interests. “One of the things that makes capitalism the best economic model in the world is that it allocates capital efficiently. However, there are situations where the most efficient outcome is not in our national interest,” he noted. As an example, he cited the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), arguing that outsourcing these to China may be cost-effective but compromises U.S. national security.
Rubio referenced historical parallels, pointing to the U.S. decision to restrict Japan’s access to oil and resources before World War II as a trigger for Japan’s attack in December 1941. He warned that allowing China similar leverage over essential resources could increase the risk of armed conflict.
National Security and strategic sectors
Rubio distinguishes between Chinese companies with national security implications and those that do not. Telecommunications, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing are cited as sectors requiring American independence to mitigate reliance on China.
Supply chains and economic strategy
Rubio advocates for bringing supply chains back to the U.S. (onshoring) or relocating production to Central American countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti. “We thought capitalism would change China; we didn’t think China would try to change capitalism,” he stated, suggesting that Xi Jinping’s aggressive policies are fueled by a perception of Western decline post-2008 financial crisis.
The 2024 Report: ‘The World China Made’
Rubio’s September 2024 report, The World China Made, challenges the narrative of a collapsing Chinese economy. While acknowledging structural issues, he warns against complacency, noting that China’s export- and manufacturing-led model has propelled it to the technological frontier despite its flaws. “An invincible belief in one’s own success breeds complacency, and the evidence before us contradicts that belief,” he wrote, emphasizing that China remains an existential threat to U.S. industry and workers.
The report also highlights China’s strategy of building factories in the Global South to bypass U.S. tariffs. “As trade barriers against Chinese products rise in developed countries, Chinese firms have targeted the Global South as an export market and production base,” the report states. Rubio points out that U.S. imports from the Global South follow an upward trend similar to Chinese exports.
Developing an effective strategy to counteract China’s engagement in the Global South is, according to Rubio, a sine qua non for a robust anti-China policy.
