Taiwan is pleased with Trump's cabinet choices, sending a strong message to China.

During the Republican National Convention in mid-July, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., made it clear that he expected a re-elected Trump to continue supporting Taiwan. However, while Rubio has been in agreement with Trump on increasing Taiwan's defense spending, this view is not shared by all Taiwanese people.

The "one country, two systems" formula, which was intended to apply to Hong Kong for 50 years after the handover in 1997, only lasted until approximately 2020 when China imposed strict new laws. Currently, individuals in Hong Kong can be imprisoned for peaceful protests, such as wearing a shirt that reads "Liberate Hong Kong." A vast majority of Taiwanese people reject China's "one country, two systems" and any other plan that would give authoritarian China control over democratic Taiwan.

Rubio is direct in his criticism of China, stating that Communist China will never be a friend to democratic nations. In May 2022, Rubio introduced the "Taiwan Peace Through Strength Act," which aims to fast-track U.S.-Taiwan military coordination. Rubio linked the bill to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating that Putin's invasion of Ukraine is not the first time an authoritarian regime has invaded its neighbor and won. Rubio warned that an invasion of Taiwan could happen within this decade and that Taiwan needs U.S. support to deter an attack. He emphasized the importance of deterring an attack on Taiwan to prevent the loss of the Indo-Pacific region to the Chinese Communist Party.

The Florida Republican Rubio being considered as a potential secretary of state presents a challenge for China, as he is blacklisted, or diplomatically put, "sanctioned." In 2020, Rubio was among the 11 U.S. senators that China sanctioned for their "wrong U.S. behaviors" and for their "egregious behavior on Hong Kong-related issues."

It is uncertain how to have "meaningful dialogues" with a person banned from China, as any option, including rescinding the sanctions, could make China appear weak. However, Fudan University professor Wu Xinbo, who is the director at the Center for American Studies, expressed doubts to Planet Chronicle Digital via email from Shanghai. He believes that the "China hawks" will push the envelope on the Taiwan question as hard as they can, but it may backfire, and the U.S. will suffer. Wu is unsure if this is what Trump wants.

Trump's national security adviser, Rep. Michael Waltz, is as strident as Rubio and believes that conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East need to be urgently ended to focus on countering the threat from China.

Trump has appointed his trusted ally, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations. According to Richard Goldberg, senior adviser at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, Stefanik's primary responsibility will be to use American financial assistance to combat Chinese influence within the U.N. system.

The "who cares?" line was commonly used by netizens on China's censored internet in response to the likely Rubio nomination. Ross Darrell Feingold, an American lawyer in Taiwan who is active on TouTiao, told Planet Chronicle Digital that the comments he received included "Doesn't matter. All U.S. politicians are anti-China," and "No such thing as 'anti-China, pro-Taiwan.' There's only 'anti-China' and the U.S. isn't serious about being pro-Taiwan."

The level of internet control in China is impressive, and even minor deviations from the party line can result in complete bans. Despite this, a TouTiao user pointed out one of the major hurdles China faces with Rubio: he won't be able to visit because he has been sanctioned.

According to various sources, China's youth unemployment rate ranges from 17% to 20%, and Trump's tariffs will not help create new jobs in China. Over the weekend, Chinese authorities put an end to a trend where thousands of students rode bicycles on a 30-mile nighttime adventure to an ancient city in central China's Henan Province. The students went on chilly rides with friends, and there were no overt political motives. Some students carried large PRC flags, while others were filmed singing China's national anthem.

The Tiananmen Square "Incident" was preceded by a gathering of joyful students who sang national anthems.