The Trump Administration & US - Indo-Pacific Relations

This resource tracked statements, developments, visits, and other interactions in US-Indo-Pacific relations under the President Trump administration. Special focus was given to the comments and activities of President Donald J. Trump; Vice President Mike Pence; United States Trade Representative Ambassador Robert E. Lighthizer; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Jr.; former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson; former Secretary of Defense James Mattis; and former Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper.

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United States Wins Dispute Finding China’s Administration of Grain Tariff-Rate Quotas Breaches WTO Commitments

"U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement panel found that China has administered its tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for wheat, corn, and rice inconsistently with its WTO commitments. Contrary to those commitments, China’s TRQ administration is not transparent, predictable, or fair, and it ultimately inhibits TRQs from filling, denying U.S. farmers access to China’s market for grain.

This panel report is the second significant victory for U.S. agriculture this year, and, together…

Statement from USTR on Meetings to Discuss the United States-Japan Trade Agreement

"United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met with Japan’s Economic Revitalization Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on April 15-16 in Washington to continue negotiations on the United States-Japan Trade Agreement.

The two officials reaffirmed their shared goal of achieving substantive results on trade in furtherance of the joint statement issued by President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on September 26, 2018.

The United States and Japan discussed trade issues involving goods, including agriculture, as well as the need to establish high standards in the…

Secretary Pompeo's Remarks to the Press - North Korea

"QUESTION: Okay, thank you. Can we talk about North Korea for a minute, sir?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Sure. Yes, sir.

QUESTION: And the idea that Kim Jong-un suggests there could be a third summit if we are willing to change our approach in some ways. Can you speak to that? Should we change anything at this point?

SECRETARY POMPEO: I saw his statement. I appreciate that. There are lots of conversations taking place. I saw Chairman Kim’s statement. President Trump is determined to move forward diplomatically…

Remarks by President Trump in Roundtable Discussion on the Economy and Tax Reform | Burnsville, MN - China and North Korea

"With China, $375 billion lost a year. Nobody even believes it. We rebuilt China, just so you understand. We rebuilt China. They did a hell of a job, but they did it using our money. And how they could have allowed that to happen, our previous representatives — and I’m not just talking about President Obama; I’m talking about many of them — how they could have allowed that to happen to our country is disgraceful. But we’re turning it around. And we’re in the…

Secretary Pompeo's Remarks at Texas A&M Wiley Lecture Series - China and North Korea

"We’ve got another team, a team that’s working to warn our friends and partners against buying Chinese 5G technology and build out their infrastructure with Chinese equipment. These are companies like Huawei, which will take your private information and transfer it to the Chinese Government. It makes no sense. And American diplomats are at the forefront of sharing this information with the world.

None of us want our privacy, our freedom falling into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. [...] We’re working on various…

Secretary Pompeo's Interview With Gisella Lopez of El Comercio - China and Latin America

"QUESTION: So the United States now with your administration want to change the situation and to compete with China, Russia in Latin America?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, we welcome all nations to compete in free markets openly and transparently. We always have. We’re convinced that democratic values and institutions, the things that we care so deeply about – basic human rights, things that don’t exist in China – I think the South American people see that. They see the horrors of a million Uighurs being held…

President Trump's Remarks on North Korea - Part 1

President Trump's Remarks on North Korea - Part 2

Secretary Pompeo's Interview With Gesell Tobias of VOA Spanish - China and Chile

"QUESTION: Moving forward, Secretary Pompeo, yesterday you mentioned in a speech from Santiago, in Santiago, and you used Chile as an example, as a model for economical growth. But Chile also have many trades with China – $43 billion, if I’m not mistaken – and the U.S. comes as a second partner. Can any country from Latin America have economical and diplomatic relationship with China while at the same time they do with the United States?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, of course. What we have said…

Secretary Pompeo's Interview With Matilde Burgos of CNN Chile - China and Chile

"QUESTION: Chile is interested in enacting the 5G in Chile. President Pinera goes to China in a few days. Would the U.S. be concerned if Pinera accepted invitation to visit the Huawei plant in China?

SECRETARY POMPEO: He is the president of a sovereign nation. He gets to make decisions about who he sees or where he travels. What we talked about today and what we’ve said publicly is that Huawei is controlled by the Government of China. It is deeply connected. And so putting…