Florida's Senator Marco Rubio, nominated by president-elect Donald Trump as Secretary of State, sharply criticised China's global ambitions during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, singling out Beijing's involvement in the Panama Canal as a significant threat to US national security.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on Wednesday painted a dark vision of the consequences of America's “unbalanced relationship” with China, echoing President-elect Donald Trump's anti-globalist rhetoric as he vies to be confirmed as his secretary of state.

By Patricia Zengerle, Simon Lewis, Doina Chiacu and Michael Martina WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of state, warned on Wednesday that the United States must change course to avoid becoming more reliant on China and do more to discourage Beijing from invading Taiwan,