Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 21: The U.S. Senate on Monday unanimously confirmed Senator Marco Rubio, a long-time and fierce critic of Beijing’s policies, as Secretary of State, marking the first high-level Cabinet official for the new administration to be approved by the chamber. The 99-0 vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where Rubio has been a prominent member, reflected rare bipartisan unity in support of his nomination.
The confirmation took place just hours after President Donald Trump was sworn in as President. Rubio, who has represented Florida in the Senate since 2011, is well-known for his hawkish stance on Beijing. He has been a prominent voice on Capitol Hill, calling out the Chinese government for its human rights abuses, trade practices, and geopolitical ambitions.
During his confirmation hearing on January 15, Rubio voiced his strong stance on China, calling the Chinese Communist Party a “potent” and “dangerous” adversary. “They’re a technological adversary and competitor, an industrial competitor, an economic competitor, a geopolitical competitor, a scientific competitor. In every realm, it’s an extraordinary challenge and one that I believe will define the 21st century,” Rubio said.
Rubio emphasised the need for the United States to take a firmer approach in addressing Beijing’s actions, adding, “We’ve allowed them to get away with things, and frankly, the Chinese did what any country in the world would do given these opportunities—they took advantage of it. Now we’re dealing with the ramifications.”
“Much of what we need to do to confront China is here at home. It’s not just abroad, it’s also here at home,” he further stated. “We have to rebuild our domestic industrial capacity, and we have to make sure the United States is not reliant on any single other nation for any of our critical supply chains.”
Rubio has consistently spotlighted China’s human rights violations, particularly in Tibet, East Turkestan (CH. Xinjiang), Hong Kong, and the South China Sea. He played a central role in advancing landmark legislation, such as the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2016, aimed at countering China’s restrictions on foreign access to Tibet. He also championed the Tibet Policy and Support Act, which affirms Tibetan religious leaders’ sole authority over the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, free from Chinese interference.
The senator’s long-standing advocacy for oppressed communities, including Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Hong Kongers, has earned him sanctions from Beijing. In 2020, China imposed sanctions on Rubio and other officials following their criticism of the CCP’s human rights violations. Undeterred, Rubio continued to press for corporate accountability, calling out companies complicit in abuses. For example, he criticised Thermo Fisher Scientific for selling DNA equipment used in East Turkestan’s surveillance operations, leading to the suspension of its activities there in 2019.
Human rights advocates view Rubio’s appointment as a pivotal moment in U.S.-China relations. Observers note that his leadership will strengthen global efforts to confront Beijing’s authoritarian policies.
One Response
The appointment of Marco Rubio as US Secretary of State is good news for Tibet. I have wished he would become the US President during his foray into presidential run in 2020. Rubio has been sympathetic to the Tibetan cause for at least a decade. As a Congress man, he was always ready to listen to the Tibetan grievances against communist China! However, the goal of the Tibetan movement is so insignificant, most politicians don’t find it worth a talking point! None of the British politicians who visited Beijing recently ever bothered to talk about Tibet. The CCP regime has said, it does not accept Human rights other than a western tool to “interfere in China’s internal affairs”. Since, the regime is more powerful than it was before, it shrugs off any criticism of abuse. Who can forget the words of former Secretary Hillary Clinton when she said, “what should I tell my banker?” when she was urged to raise the Tibet issue during a visit to Beijing. Former Secretary Blinken has only once mentioned Tibet after his return from meeting Chinese communist leaders! The CCP wants “respect” from others. That’s their coveted goal. If they are not respected they get upset, however, instead of earning respect, they expect it by force! This will create problems for Rubio when he goes to China. During the tense situation in US-China relations, Blinken was treated rather shabbily by the regime. Blinken is not anti-communist like Rubio. It seems Rubio is going to be aggressive and forthright in his dealings with the communist regime and he knows how they are and how to deal with them. I suspect, the relationship between the US and communist China is going to be rocky for the foreseeable future during Trump administration. At the same time, there will be stints of bonhomie since Trump will visit China like he did in his previous presidency and Xi will pay a return visit! The undercurrent of the relationship is how to undo the other in their fierce competition for supremacy. There may not be a war during Trump administration but the Chinese regime will continue to apply pressure on Taiwan. Trump may not be that effusive about Taiwan’s democratic credentials but will continue to sell weapons as Biden administration did. The danger lies in Trump’s unenthusiastic attitude to NATO. If he withdraws from NATO or alienate it, that will delight the Chinese and Putin and embolden them in their quest for empire building expansionist goals. It will undo America like never before since America will lose its powerful NATO allies and will be left with few middle rung powers like Australia, Japan and South Korea. India which is an emerging power has retained its non-aligned stance and has not been forthcoming in its commitment to be a US ally. As it were, America will be isolated with few reliable friends which doesn’t pull much punch when it comes to the crunch! In the end, Trump will make China and Russia great again instead of making America great again!
TIBET WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE TIBET!