Munich security conference live: Rubio criticises mass migration, west’s postwar ‘delusion’, US and Europe’s mistakes

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Aaaand we’re going straight into the Europe panel, with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, up next.

She’s speaking now.

Wang Yi also gets asked about the security situation in Asia Pacific.

He says China remains “an important pillar for peace in Asia,” but accepts there are “challenges.”

He pointedly criticises Japanese prime minister Takaichi for recent comments on Taiwan, saying they directly “violate China’s territorial sovereignty” and were unacceptable to China.

That ends the Q&A.

On China-US relations, Wang Yi says China wants to be guided by “mutual respect, peaceful existence and willing cooperation.”

He says “whether we can achieve that goal ultimately depends on the US,” but he is encouraged that Trump “has shown respect” for Xi and China in recent comments.

He says “some people” are trying to keep China down and “smear it,” but he hopes for a better outcome.

He paints two alternative scenarios: of a “reasonably” aligned cooperation with the two countries expanding their interests, which he says would be “the best outcome for both countries and the world,” or that of aggressing “decoupling from China” in “a purely emotional, kneejerk way.”

He also mentions Taiwan as a contentious issue.

On relations with the EU, he says China and the EU “are partners who are not systemic rivals or strategic competitors.”

He says it’s “a very negative thinking” to see China as a rival of the EU, and it would be “toxic” to see this narrative amplified further.

He even quotes Confucius to say “we can achieve harmony without uniformity.”

China hopes for settlement of Ukraine war, and Europe should be involved, Wang Yi says

In the Q&A, China’s Wang Yi gets asked about Ukraine.

He says China’s view is that “we need to find a political settlement,” but stresses China is not directly involved.

But says it backs the talks, and keeps sending a clear message “that we want to see a cessation of hostilities” as early as possible.

“I think now what is being discussed are the real issues,” he says.

Curiously, he quite strongly says that Europe should be directly involved in the talks and not be sidelined in the process – something that many European leaders will definitely welcome.

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Fair play to the interpreter: that speech was delivered really fast.

Wang Yi then turns on to specific conflicts around the world, as he says there are about “more than 60” around the world.

On Gaza, he says “the implementation of ceasefire and reconstruction will require unremitting efforts to implement the two state solution and restore justice to the Palestinian people.”

On Iran, he says the situation there “has a direct impact on peace,” and parties “should act with prudcent and avoid creating new conflicts.”

On Ukraine, he welcomes that “the door to dialogue is finally open,” urging parties to “reach a comprehensive, durable and binding peace agreement.”

On Venezuela, he says “the red line of international rule of law must not be crossed.”

He says China will seek to be “a reliable force for stability,” and insists “China and Europe are partners, not rivals.”

“As long as we keep that in mind, we will be able to make the right choices in the face of challenges,” he says.

He urges leaders to “work together to recalibrate the course of history and create a better world.”

And we go into the Q&A.

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi is up now next.

He warns of “growing turbulence” over the last year, as “humanity has come to a new crossroad.”

He talks about the need to reform international organisations, and the UN in particular, but stresses the need for it to still work.

He says it is “not perfect in its current form, but it remains the most univeral and authoritative” organisation of this sort.

He says the main problem is not with the UN itself, but with “certain countries seeking to magnify differences and disagreements” and “stoking block confrontation and even revive the cold war mentality.”

He doesn’t name them.

He says it’s obvious that countries are different, but “there is no reason why countries cannot respect each other and contribute to each other’s success.”

He says “multilateralism should be always upheld,” as “power monopolisation by a few countries is simply unpopular.”

“We live in a multipolar world, and need to practice true multilateralism,” he says.

Rubio love bombs Europe in style, while issuing stark warnings on substance, and it worked - snap analysis

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You could hear that sigh of relief across the continent.

That was a very different speech to JD Vance’s last year in style, if not necessarily always substance.

Rubio repeatedly made clear his personal and the US’s admiration of Europe, and framing all concerns – or disagreements and frustrations – in this context. The line of that the US will always be a child of Europe was a particularly nice touch.

It’s a clever figure of speech, which JD Vance also partially tried to do last year (at times), but failed with his much more confrontational, almost accusatory tone.

Rubio chose to do it completely differently – with clever references to shared history, and both European and specifically German links with the US – and clearly succeeded, sweet talking the room into giving him a big applause and a partial standing ovation at the end.

You surely know that famous quote that “a diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.”

Well, he’s their chief diplomat after all.

But a small cynic in me wonders: are we entirely sure that other – and more senior – people in the US administration, including both the vice-president and the president, necessarily agree with Rubio’s framing?

I’m not entirely sure.

Rubio also gets asked about China – he will be followed by the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi – and the US view of China.

He says “our national interests will often not align,” but stresses the need to keep channels open and talk about how to figure it out.

“We owe it to the world to try to manage those as best we can, obviously avoiding conflict, both economic and worse,” he says.

He says “there are long-term challenges” and “irritants” in the west’s relationship with China, but “we need to try to manage those the best we can.”

And that’s it.

Talks 'narrowed' issues on Ukraine, but hardest questions remain unanswered for now, Rubio says

The Q&A being with a question on Ukraine.

Rubio says the issues that need to be resolved have been “narrowed,” but “to the hardest questions to answer” and that remains tricky.

He declines the moderator’s suggestion that the Russians are not interested in negotiations, saying “we don’t know” that.

“They say they are, and under what terms they were willing to do it, and whether we can find terms that are acceptable to Ukraine upon that Russia will always agree to, but we’re going to continue to test it,” he says.

He says that in the meantime the US and Europe continue to take steps to pressure Russia into negotiations.

He says the US has managed to “make progress” in talks, and further discussions are set to take place on Tuesday.

“I don’t think anybody in this room would be against a negotiated settlement to this war, so long as the conditions are just and sustainable, and that’s what we aim to achieve, and we’re going to continue to try to achieve it is even as all these other things continue to happen on the sanctions front and so forth.”

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Rubio gets big applause and a standing ovation from a large part of the audience.

What a contrast with JD Vance’s speech last year – even as he delivered some similar lines of criticism on deindustrialisation, green policies or massmigration, but phrased in a much more caring way, stressing what unites the US and Europe – and not what divides them.

End of transatlantic era 'not our goal nor our wish,' Rubio says

In another attempt to win over the European audience, Rubio says “in a time of headlines heralding the end of the transatlantic era, let it be known and clear to all that this is neither our goal nor our wish, because for us Americans, our home may be in the western hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe.”

He then lists close connections between Europe and the US, drawing on shared history – with the US story beginning with an Italian explorer, first colonies built by English settlers, and shaped by Scots and Irish, and German farmers, who he jokes “dramatically upgraded the quality of American beer.”

He also draws on his personal story, saying that he is “reminded … that both our histories and our fates will always be linked together.”

He also references Nato troops, saying “we have bled and died side by side.”

He says the US is “charting the path for a new century of prosperity,” but wants to do it with Europe.

And we go into the Q&A.