Rubio Talks China, Ukraine at Friendly Confirmation Hearing

Sen. Marco Rubio, a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, appeared before the panel for a confirmation hearing Wednesday that was a lot friendlier than hearings for some of President-elect Trump's other nominees. The warm welcome Rubio received from both sides of the aisle suggests he will easily win confirmation as secretary of state, the New York Times reports. "I believe you have the skills and are well qualified to serve as secretary of state," said Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. The AP reports that in his opening remarks, Rubio joked, "I hope I can earn your support, whether it's because you believe I would do a good job, or because you want to get rid of me."

Some of the issues the hearing touched on:

• China. Rubio spent much of the five-hour hearing discussing China, which he said will be the "biggest threat" to American prosperity without changes in policy, the AP reports. "If we don't change course, we are going to live in the world where much of what matters to us on a daily basis from our security to our health will be dependent on whether the Chinese allow us to have it or not," he said.
• Ukraine. Rubio said Ukraine and Russia would both have to make concessions. "The problem that Ukraine is facing is not that they are running out of money, it's that they're running out of Ukrainians," he said, per Politico. "There's a size differential here that's important. Now what Vladimir Putin has done is unacceptable, there's no doubt about it but this war has to end."
• Israel. Rubio said strong backing for Israel would continue under the incoming administration, reports Reuters. "I'm confident in saying that President Trump's administration will continue to be perhaps the most pro-Israel administration in American history," he said. The Gaza ceasefire deal was announced during the hearing.

• NATO. Asked about NATO, an organization Trump has frequently criticized, Rubio called it a "very important alliance" but echoed Trump's view that some members need to contribute more, the AP reports.
• Taiwan. Rubio said the US needs to help Taiwan become less vulnerable to invasion from China, Reuters reports. He said that without "dramatic" changes, there could be a "cataclysmic military intervention" in the region before the end of the decade.
• Greenland. Asked by Shaheen about the Arctic, Rubio suggested they talk about Greenland, which Trump has proposed the US acquire, the Times reports. "I think we need to understand that Greenland's been strategically important to the United States and to the West for a very long time," he said. Rubio also called control of the Panama Canal, another Trump target, "a legitimate issue."

(More Marco Rubio stories.)