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.
"Democrats will take aggressive action against China or any other country that tries to undercut American manufacturing by manipulating their currencies and maintaining a misaligned exchange rate with the dollar, dumping products like steel and aluminum in our markets, or providing unfair subsidies. Unlike President Trump, we will stand up to efforts from China and other state actors to steal America’s intellectual property and will demand China and other countries cease and desist from conducting cyber espionage against our companies. And we will take immediate…
"U.S. Leadership in the Asian Pacific
We are a Pacific nation with economic, military, and cultural ties to all the countries of the oceanic rim and treaty alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand. With them, we look toward the establishment of human rights for the people of North Korea. We urge the government of China to recognize the inevitability of change in the Kim family's slave state and, for everyone's safety against nuclear disaster, to hasten positive change on the Korean…
“Mike Pence: (32:06): They have a $2 trillion version of the Green New Deal, Susan, that your newspaper, USA Today, said really wasn’t that very different from the original Green New Deal. More taxes, more regulation, banning fracking, abolishing fossil fuel, crushing American energy and economic surrender to China is a prescription for economic decline. President Trump and I will keep America growing, the V-shape recovery that’s underway right now will continue with four more years of President Donald Trump [crosstalk 00:32:37] […]
Kamala Harris…
"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…
"Vice President Mike Pence spoke by phone last night with Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia Scott Morrison, congratulating him on his Coalition’s win in the Australian Federal elections. He reaffirmed the strong bilateral relationship and enduring alliance between the United States and Australia."
"And with regard to China, I will just tell you we understand what a big and important market it is, not just for agriculture but for so many things. But we really do believe that — I mean, they’re half of our international trade deficit right now. And that is nothing to say about the abuses of intellectual property and forced technology transfer and ownership within China. And so we’re driving hard to address those things.
The President will be meeting with President Xi at…
"And as we speak today, a delegation from China has arrived in Washington, D.C., for the latest negotiations. And I want to assure all of you, particularly those of you in soybeans, who export to China and understand that we’re working literally hour by hour to reach an agreement with China.
The President and I remain hopeful that we’ll be able to reach an agreement, but we’re going to continue to stand firm. We’re going to continue to stand firm for putting American jobs, American…
"And folks, the fact of the matter is we can do all we need to do without punishing anybody. Anybody. The reason I’m optimistic here is, look at who we are. I’ve met virtually every major world leader in my role as Vice President, as Foreign Relations Chairman over the last 30 years. That’s not hyperbole. Virtually every one. I don’t know a single solitary one who would not change places with the problems the President of the United States has versus the problems they…
"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…
"Q What are you demanding from China, sir? China is a big player in buying Indiana products and so is the (inaudible). So what is the demand so that not only Indiana, but the other states get a fair deal?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Look, you look at our international trade deficit: Half of it is with China. And President Trump has imposed, now, $250 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods coming into the United States. And we’ve made it clear that we’re prepared — unless…