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 Mr. President, will you be asking Australia to do more when it comes to China?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Say it. What?
Q Will you be asking Australia to do more when it comes to China?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we’re talking about China all the time. And Scott has very strong opinions on China. And I think I’d let him, maybe, express those opinions. Maybe you do it right now. You’re not going to get a better audience than this. (Laughter.)
PRIME MINISTER MORRISON: We —…
"On October 16, 2018, my Administration notified the Congress that I intended to initiate trade negotiations with Japan on a United States-Japan Trade Agreement. As stated in that notification and subsequent consultations with the Congress, my Administration proposed pursuing negotiations with Japan in stages. I am pleased to report that my Administration has reached an initial trade agreement regarding tariff barriers (the “agreement”) with Japan and I intend to enter into the agreement in the coming weeks.
Accordingly, pursuant to section 103(a)(2) of the Bipartisan…
"Q Did Chairman Kim invite you to North Korea in that (inaudible)?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I don’t want to comment on that.
Q Okay.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: The relationship is very good, but I don’t want to comment on it.
Q Would you be willing to go there?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I just don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment.
Q Would you be willing to go to North Korea?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Probably not. I don’t think it’s ready. I don’t think we’re ready for that. I…
"I will tell you, we’re doing very well with China, because China would like to do something. We’re taking in billions and billions of tariffs. And they’re eating the cost. This is not being borne very much by us. They’re eating the costs. But we’re taking in billions and billions. Money flowing in. We’ve never taken in 10 cents from China. And they want to do something because their supply lines, their supply chains, are being broken like toys. And people are leaving, and people…
"Q Sir, if this storm stays on track, going through Georgia and the Carolinas —
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
Q — it will hit farmland. Many farmers are already having problems there. What do you have in place to help them if there is devastation —
THE PRESIDENT: Good question.
Q — as there has been in the past?
THE PRESIDENT: We’re very well prepared for that. Last time, if you remember, when it hit Mexico Beach, we — wiped out a large, large farm areas…