US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has voiced the United States’ objections to China’s recent coast guard operations near Taiwan, emphasizing that such actions threaten regional stability and raise tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. In discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, held alongside the ASEAN summit in Manila, Rubio highlighted Washington’s ongoing concerns regarding Beijing’s maneuvers around Taiwan.
Rubio reaffirmed the US commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and rejecting any efforts to limit access to international waters. This stance follows China’s initiation of what it termed “special maritime law enforcement operations” near Taiwan, a move it claimed was in response to planned maritime boundary talks involving Japan and the Philippines. Taiwan has since reported an uptick in activity by Chinese coast guard ships in its surrounding waters, including radio alerts directed at commercial vessels.
During the meeting, Rubio and Wang Yi also discussed preparations for a forthcoming visit by US President Donald Trump to Beijing, scheduled for September. Both parties characterized the talks as constructive and pledged to sustain diplomatic engagement to uphold strategic stability in the region.