Asia Matters for America
America Matters for Asia
Explore US-Asia National and Local Connections
An initiative of the East-West Center and Asia Matters for America partners and stakeholders
The 2020 Presidential Candidates on the Indo-Pacific resource highlighted mentions of Indo-Pacific issues by US presidential candidates and nominees in speeches, campaign documents, and debates.
To view statements by President Trump prior to his June 18, 2019 declaration to seek a second term, as well as members of his Cabinet, visit The Trump Administration & US - Indo-Pacific Relations.
"Kristen Welker: (09:22)I do want to ask you, Vice-President Biden, about China. Let’s talk about China more broadly. There have, of course, President Trump has said that they should pay for not being fully transparent in regards to the coronavirus. If you were president, would you make China pay? And please be specific, what would that look like?
Joe Biden: (09:41)What I’d make China do is play by the international rules, not like he has done. He has caused the deficit of the…
"Q He [2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden] says your tariffs are going to hurt Iowa farmers.
THE PRESIDENT: The best thing that ever happened to the farmers is me. We gave $16 billion to the farmers to make up for the deficit with China. We gave them $16 billion. We don’t give them; they earn it, because they’re patriots. We gave them ethanol at 15, which nobody was ever going to do; which Biden didn’t do in eight years as, you know, Vice President…
"Prime Minister Abe, the First Lady and I are profoundly honored to return to this very beautiful nation as Japan’s first state guests following the enthronement of His Majesty the Emperor. On behalf of the United States, we want to thank the Imperial Family for this gracious invitation and warm welcome. It was really wonderful.
Melania and I are thrilled to be back in the Land of the Rising Sun. It is a true privilege to take part in the splendor of this historic moment and…
"PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to be with the Vice Premier of China, a highly respected man all over the world. We’ve had tremendous discussions. We’re getting very close to making a deal. That doesn’t mean a deal is made, because it’s not, but we’re certainly getting a lot closer. And I would think with — oh, within the next four weeks or maybe less, maybe more — whatever it takes — something very monumental could be announced.
We very…
"Q How is China (inaudible)?
THE PRESIDENT: Trade is coming along well. We’re having a big meeting this afternoon. I think you folks are going to be at it for a little while, at least. The Vice Premier is here and lots of top people from China. They very much want to make a deal. We’ll see what happens. It’s got to be a good deal. Got to be a good — it’s got to be a great deal. It’s got to be great.
Look…
"So I’ll be talking about a lot of — to a lot of people. Perhaps President Putin. Perhaps President Xi of China. My people right now are in China. We’re negotiating the trade deal. We’ll see what happens. But we’re doing very well.
Q How did that round of talks go?
THE PRESIDENT: I think it’s going very well. I mean, the trade deal is going very well. We’ll see what happens. But it’s going very well. They’re in China right now, the highest level…
"We took over a mess. We took over a mess with North Korea. We took over a mess in the Middle East. We took over. A lot of bad things were happening and the economy was not doing well. It was heading in the wrong direction. You remember that. It was going to go bad, and then we opened up with the regulation cuts and all of the other things we’ve done, including the big tax cut. (Applause.) But it made a big difference. Made…
"Q On the China trade deal, once you have an agreement with President Xi, will you immediately lift the China tariffs? Will you remove the tariffs right away?
THE PRESIDENT: No. We’re not talking about removing them. We’re talking about leaving them and for a substantial period of time, because we have to make sure that if we do the deal with China, that China lives by the deal. Because they’ve had a lot of problems living by certain deals and we have to make…
"Q What are the prospects now on the summit with President Xi this month or next month?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’re doing very well with China talks. China talks are doing very well. We’ll see what happens. If it’s not a deal that’s a great deal for us, we’re not going to make it. But I would say that we’re moving along at a very high level. We’re getting what we have to get, and I think we’re getting it relatively quickly.So the China talks are…
"Q Mr. President, we’re hearing rumblings from China that they’re not really positive about a trade deal and that perhaps (inaudible) may not happen. Where is that?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I haven’t heard that. I think they’re doing well. But if it happened that way, we’ll do even better. We’ll do very well either way, with or without a deal. But you’re telling me something that I have not heard.
Q Do you feel confident that you can get a trade deal with China?
THE…