U.S. does not support Taiwan independence, Rubio tells China's Wang

Top diplomats lay out positions on the island in first phone call, China says

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, a known China hawk, had his first phone call with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Jan. 24. (Source photos by Reuters)

KEN MORIYASU

January 25, 2025 04:40 JST

Updated on January 25, 2025 06:15 JST

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday that the U.S. "does not support" Taiwan independence and hopes to see the issue resolved peacefully in a way acceptable to both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The statement, unveiled in a readout from China's official Xinhua News Agency, was in line with the U.S. government's long-held stance on the contentious issue and will ease Chinese concerns toward the new U.S. administration.