Rubio vows US will keep protecting Gulf shipping, says diplomacy with Iran still possible

By Boniface Ihiasota, Washington DC

United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio on Wednesday said Washington would continue military operations to safeguard international shipping routes from Iranian attacks while insisting that the U.S. remained open to a diplomatic resolution of the crisis.

Rubio, who spoke to journalists in Manila, accused Iran of undermining previous commitments by continuing attacks on commercial vessels transiting a key international waterway.

He said Tehran had failed to uphold an earlier understanding that called for unrestricted maritime navigation, arguing that the latest attacks demonstrated Iran was “not serious” about diplomacy.

“We remain open to diplomacy. We remain open to working it out in a negotiated way. But right now, they don’t seem to be serious about that,” Rubio said.

According to him, the U.S. military would continue targeting sites allegedly used to launch attacks against commercial shipping while protecting vessels passing through the strategic maritime corridor.

“Ships are trying to go through the straits, and they’re getting blown up. The United States is defending that shipping and degrading Iran’s ability to target global shipping,” he said.

Rubio also rejected suggestions that Washington’s objective was to force Iran into submission, arguing instead that the U.S. was determined to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

He claimed Iran had spent decades investing heavily in missiles, drones and proxy groups instead of addressing domestic economic challenges, including soaring inflation and rising food prices.

The U.S. Secretary of State urged more countries to join efforts to secure international shipping lanes, saying many nations depended more heavily on the affected maritime route than the United States.

Although Washington had not made fresh requests during meetings with Asian allies in Manila, Rubio disclosed that previous discussions had explored possible contributions, including naval mine-clearing capabilities.

He maintained that the U.S. would prefer a negotiated settlement but insisted that freedom of navigation could not be compromised.

Rubio also confirmed he would meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss the war in Ukraine, saying Washington remained willing to play a constructive role in efforts to end the conflict while pursuing cooperation with Moscow on other strategic issues.

Rubio says US, China preparing for Xi’s Washington visit despite deep differences

By Boniface Ihiasota, Washington DC

U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio on Wednesday said Washington and Beijing were laying the groundwork for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to the United States in September, describing continued dialogue between the world’s two largest economies as essential despite persistent disagreements.

Speaking to reporters in Manila after a lengthy meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Rubio said the discussions focused largely on preparations for the high-level visit rather than contentious issues.

“We talked a lot about the visit in September. It was really to create the groundwork for another positive visit,” Rubio said, expressing confidence that Xi would have a “very positive visit” to Washington.

Rubio acknowledged that the United States and China would continue to have significant differences on strategic and security issues but stressed that both countries had a responsibility to prevent those disagreements from escalating into conflict.

“These are the two most powerful countries in the world. We have to have a relationship,” he said.

According to the U.S. Secretary of State, officials from both countries are working to identify areas of cooperation ahead of the proposed summit while managing long-standing disputes.

He also confirmed that both sides discussed implementing new bilateral trade and investment mechanisms that could produce concrete outcomes before Xi’s expected visit.

Rubio said Washington remained committed to freedom of navigation in international waters and reiterated U.S. support for its treaty allies in the Indo-Pacific, including the Philippines.

He disclosed that concerns over China’s activities around Taiwan and in the South China Sea featured during talks with Wang, adding that the U.S. would continue to oppose actions it considers destabilising.

“We’re never going to accept that international waterways are somehow under the control of other countries,” Rubio said.

Drawing a comparison with Cold War diplomacy, Rubio argued that sustained engagement between Washington and Beijing was necessary to reduce the risk of global instability.

“It would be reckless and irresponsible for the U.S. and China not to have a relationship, given the impact our countries have on the global economy and on the world,” he added.

CARICOM woos Caribbean youths on regional integration, leadership

A delegation of 22 members of the Sangre Grande (Cunapo) Development Foundation from Trinidad and Tobago has visited the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana, as part of efforts to deepen youth participation in regional integration and leadership development.

The delegation, comprising executive members and representatives of the Foundation’s Youth Arm, toured the Secretariat’s headquarters on Monday before engaging officials in discussions on CARICOM’s programmes and opportunities available to young people across the Caribbean.

During the interaction, officials introduced the visitors to the Community’s youth-focused initiatives, including the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme and the CARICOM Young Professionals Network, both designed to promote civic engagement, leadership and regional cooperation.

The officials also encouraged the young leaders to engage with CARICOM’s official digital platforms to remain informed about regional issues while stressing the importance of diplomacy, international relations and a better understanding of global affairs.

Speaking during a vote of thanks, the Youth Arm Leader, Jay Ann John, described the engagement as a valuable learning experience for members of the delegation.

Chairman of the Foundation, Eric Taylor, said the visit had broadened the team’s understanding of the Caribbean integration movement and the work of the Secretariat.

“Our team is leaving with a fresh perspective on the value of the integration movement to the Region’s survival, and a renewed appreciation for the Secretariat’s work,” Taylor said.

The visit formed part of CARICOM’s broader efforts to strengthen engagement with young people and encourage greater participation in shaping the future of the Caribbean Community.