Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state has said he anticipates the US “will have to deal with” China invading Taiwan before the end of this decade.
Marco Rubio made the comment as he appeared in front of a bipartisan Senate committee ahead of a vote on whether he is suitable for the role.
He told the committee he believes China is America‘s “biggest threat” and blamed the growing risk on America’s shift to globalism.
Laying out how he will implement Mr Trump‘s “America First” vision, he said the United States must begin placing its “core national interests above all else”.
He argued Washington must step up to compete with Beijing and slammed the Chinese government’s human rights record.
“If we don’t change course, we are going to live in the world where much of what matters to us daily, from our security to our health, will be dependent on whether the Chinese allow us to have it or not,” he said.
The US “will have to deal with” a Chinese invasion of Taiwan before 2030 unless there are dramatic changes, Mr Rubio claimed.
Mr Rubio’s remarks were briefly interrupted by protesters, including one who spoke in Spanish about Latin American countries the US has hit with sanctions.
The senator – who, if successful, will be the first Hispanic person to serve as the top US diplomat – joked: “I get bilingual protests which is kind of cool.”
A confirmation hearing for Pam Bondi, Mr Trump’s pick for attorney general, also began on Wednesday.
Ms Bondi faced scrutiny over the president elect’s pledge to pardon people prosecuted for their involvement in the Capitol riots on 6 January 2021.
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When asked if she believes those defendants should be pardoned, Ms Bondi did not confirm or deny if she supports Mr Trump on the matter and said she would advise him “on a case-by-case basis”.
The rioters were Trump supporters trying to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential election victory and many were convicted of harming police officers.
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“I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country,” Ms Bondi said.
Senate hearings for Trump’s cabinet picks started yesterday – and his controversial nominee for defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, was first up.
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Mr Hegseth, a former combat veteran and Fox News host, has faced allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking, and expressed derisive views about minorities, as well as women in military combat roles.
His hearing was interrupted multiple times by protesters, and he was attacked by the top Democrat on the committee, who told him: “You lack the character and composure and competence to hold the position of defence.”
