Secretary of State Marco Rubio Remarks to the Press

Overview of U.S.-China Meeting

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. and China held a lengthy meeting with Chinese counterparts, notably Wang Yi, to discuss the lead-up to President Xi’s planned September visit to Washington.

Rubio said the aim is to lay “groundwork” for a “positive” visit by identifying concrete areas of cooperation, including efforts tied to economic/trade investment frameworks. He also emphasized that major differences between the two countries will persist and must be managed to avoid escalation and protect national interests.

Iran and Regional Shipping (Strait of Hormuz)

Rubio discussed U.S. talks with China regarding Iran and regional shipping, stating that:

• The U.S. has not focused discussions on “election interference.”
• He declined to specify whether China or Russia provided targeting information to Iran.

He argued instead that Iran’s regional actions reflect a long-standing investment in missiles and drones. In Rubio’s framing:

• The situation is essentially about Iranian attacks on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
• The U.S. is defending vessels and degrading Iran’s ability to target shipping.

Rubio claimed Iran violated a memorandum of understanding (MOU) intended to support free navigation in the strait:

• He said Iran’s missiles/drones attacks on commercial vessels were contrary to the MOU’s intent.
• He rejected the idea that the MOU inherently allowed Iran to strike commercial shipping, describing it as a case of noncompliance, not a flawed agreement.

Diplomacy and Future Negotiations

Rubio said the U.S. approach keeps diplomacy possible, but that confidence in a near-term deal is weakened by Iran’s repeated failure to comply with commitments.

When asked about next steps if Iran refuses negotiation, he said the President has “many options” but did not outline specifics.

Rubio also said China’s view matters because China has publicly opposed “tolling or restraint” on freedom of navigation in the straits. He added that the U.S. wants other countries to join U.S. efforts to protect shipping.

Taiwan Context and Strategic Stability

On U.S.-China disagreements regarding Taiwan, Rubio stated that:

• China’s coast guard patrols near Taiwan are destabilizing.
• Such actions violate the spirit of strategic stability efforts.
• The U.S. will continue freedom of navigation operations, including sailing through international waterways.

He warned that catastrophic conflict would have major global consequences and stressed the need for regular communication with China.

Russia and Ukraine

Rubio said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to meet him the next day and that the U.S. would raise Ukraine.

Rubio argued that the war has reduced cooperation opportunities but said the U.S. remains open to helping end the conflict if conditions allow. He also emphasized the ongoing need for U.S.-Russia dialogue because both countries have nuclear arsenals.

Allied and Regional Issues

Rubio addressed several additional regional topics:

• Energy/shipping and regional participation: He suggested countries in the region (including South Korea and other Asian allies) should contribute naval or other capabilities to protect shipping, though he said no request was made “today” and no new agreement was reached in the meeting.

• Houthi threat: He linked Red Sea disruptions closely to Iran-backed activities and said the U.S. is monitoring the risk while engaging Saudi partners on the threat.

• ASEAN concerns about the Iran war: Rubio acknowledged regional economic and energy impacts raised concerns, but defended the U.S. position that a nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable.

• Israel vs. U.S. framing: He did not comment on remarks by a specific Israeli official, but said U.S. policy holds that Iran’s conventional shield approach was intended to enable potential nuclear breakout. He also said Iran’s attacks on global shipping are unacceptable.

Sanctions: Iran and Russia

On sanctions, Rubio said a proposal to add Iran to a Russia sanctions legislative vehicle is mainly a way to use existing congressional authorities to impose economic costs, rather than evidence of a formal “Moscow–Tehran alliance” shift.

Cuba

Rubio reiterated that the U.S. aims for a Cuba where people can have prosperity and safety, and he portrayed Cuba’s collapse as driven by:

• A failing economic system
• Dependency disruptions, including Venezuela oil
• The regime’s priority of maintaining power

He said the U.S. began shipping over $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Cuba through NGOs, and denied that there is a fixed timeline for “regime change” expectations discussed by others, stressing that “global affairs” is not quick.

Other Topics

• Arms sales to Taiwan: Rubio said one pending sale is under internal review and cited factors such as stockpile/industrial-base considerations and balancing domestic and international needs.

• Nonproliferation: He said modern nuclear arms control requires triparty involvement (U.S., Russia, and China), though he said China-related nonproliferation was not discussed “today.”

• Fentanyl cooperation with China: Rubio said engagement continues, noting progress on some commitments while characterizing others as still incomplete.

• Americans detained in China: He said U.S. officials regularly raise wrongful detention cases through embassies and engagements, but he would not precondition September meetings on detainee outcomes. He also said he did not believe detainee Min Zin has been formally recognized yet as wrongfully detained, noting determinations follow a process.

• Myanmar: Rubio said the administration is developing its policy and looking for potential engagement opportunities depending on changing conditions, without announcing major new steps at that time.

• Saudi nuclear deal (reported Trump-approved arrangement): Rubio provided no details about a reported nuclear deal, saying he prefers official White House channels to release confirmation if and when it occurs.

Presenters / Contributors

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio