Schatz Questions Secretary Of State Nominee Marco Rubio On Relations With Pacific Island Nations, The Philippines, North Korea Policy At Hearing

WASHINGTON — At today’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination hearing for Secretary of State nominee, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) questioned Rubio on his approach to strengthening relations with key Pacific Islands partners, elevating the U.S. alliance with the Philippines, and rethinking the United States’ North Korea policy.

Schatz requested Rubio’s views on continuing to strengthen the United States’ relations with Pacific Island nations, asking, “I’d like your theory of the case here about how to have some continuity… [regarding] specifically these small island nations with whom we want stronger ties.”

In response, Rubio said, “The first, obviously, is the ability to engage bilaterally with each of these individual nation states. And that opportunity is already there, and I think we should continue to build on it, and it’s important and bears great fruit.”

Schatz then questioned Rubio about the U.S.-Philippines alliance, asking, “How [do] you see that growing democracy, one of our best allies on the planet? How [do] you see that as strategically important for the United States?”

In response, Rubio said, “It’s always been strategically important for the United States… There are long ties between the United States and Philippines that date back to 1899 and the Spanish-American War. So I think it’s important to build on that as well. I think there are real economic opportunities that are worth exploring.”

Schatz also raised the issue of North Korea, asking, “I think our North Korea policy is broken… Is there an appetite for a rethinking of this – in my view – totally failed policy?”

In response, Rubio said, “I think there has to be an appetite for a very serious look at broader North Korea policies.”

Schatz has led efforts to advocate for closer ties to Pacific Island nations and the Philippines, which would help expand economic and political prosperity and counter China’s growing aggression in the region. He has also pressed for a re-examining of the United States’ strategy towards North Korea.

Video of Senator Schatz’s full exchange at today’s hearing is available here.

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