The relationship between the United States and China has achieved a level of “stability,” according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, just before President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to China. Rubio informed reporters that both countries have recognized the importance of avoiding a full-scale global trade war, understanding the severe repercussions it would have on both nations and the world. During his visit to the small Caribbean nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Rubio, a staunch critic of China, emphasized that the U.S. will continue to address concerns such as reducing dependence on China’s supply chains.
Furthermore, Rubio expressed the U.S.’s commitment to urging China to engage in trilateral nuclear negotiations with the United States and Russia. Following the expiration of the New START treaty, a crucial agreement limiting nuclear warheads between Russia and the U.S., a senior U.S. official met with counterparts from Russia and China in Geneva this week. Rubio noted that China has publicly stated their reluctance to participate in such negotiations, despite the U.S.’s efforts to push for them.