Rubio expresses concern over China's coercion against Taiwan

Washington, Jan. 24 (CNA) U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has raised concern over Beijing's coercion against Taiwan during a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi (王毅), according to the U.S. Department of State.

Rubio stressed the United States' "commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China's coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a readout following the phone call on Friday (Washington time).

Bruce also cited Rubio as saying the U.S. will pursue a relationship with Beijing that "advances U.S. interests and puts the American people first."

It was Rubio's first phone call as secretary of state with Wang, who is also the director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Commission.

While pledging the U.S.'s commitment to its allies, a report by Politico on Friday said Rubio had issued an order halting most existing U.S. foreign aid for 90 days, pending review by the secretary of state, except for military funds allocated to Israel and Egypt.

The report cited a number of incumbent and former State Department officials as voicing concern that the order might affect U.S. aid to Taiwan, Ukraine and other partners.

As of press time, the State Department had not responded to CNA's request for a comment on the matter.

Following the call, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a separate readout quoting Wang as urging Washington to handle the Taiwan issue "with prudence" and stressing that Beijing "will never allow Taiwan to be separated from China."

The readout also included Rubio's remarks that the U.S. does not support Taiwanese independence and called for a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue, but such a statement was not included in the U.S. version of the readout.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), meanwhile, said in a press release Saturday (Taipei time) that it "welcomed" Rubio's comments over Beijing's intimidation against Taiwan but opposed the "false statements" from the Chinese side.

Taiwan and "the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other," MOFA said, in rejecting Wang's claims that Taiwan "has been an integral part of Chinese territory since ancient times."

Rubio, who assumed office on Jan. 21 (Washington time), has been a China hawk during his years as a Republican senator.