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.
The Trump Administration & US - Indo-Pacific Relations
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Secretary Pompeo's Interview With Hideki Yui of NHK
"For North Korea to have the security assurances it needs, it needs to know that it has an economic – economically viable path forward. It has to know that its people can eat and that they can have the wealth that the North Korean people so richly deserve. So these are very closely linked issues; it’s difficult to separate them out. And so not only Japan, but South Korea, China – I imagine many nations will want to participate in the North Korean economy if…
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Press Briefing by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
"With respect to [nuclear] proliferation risk, it’s very real. There is a history of that, with respect to North Korea and some of our other difficult challenges in the world today. They are connected. The reason you want complete, verifiable, and irreversible is precisely that. To the extent there remain stockpiles, knowledge bases, warehouses, systems, infrastructure, fissile material production facilities — I could go on — to the extent those remain, the risk of proliferation continues. And it’s our aim, through the CVID process and…
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Secretary Ross Announces $1.4 Billion ZTE Settlement; ZTE Board, Management Changes and Strictest BIS Compliance Requirements Ever
"Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross today [June 7, 2018] announced that Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation, of Shenzhen, China (“ZTE Corporation”) and ZTE Kangxun Telecommunications Ltd. of Hi-New Shenzhen, China (“ZTE Kangxun”) (collectively, “ZTE”) has agreed to severe additional penalties and compliance measures to replace the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) denial order imposed as a result of ZTE’s violations of its March 2017 settlement agreement. Under the new agreement, ZTE must pay $1 billion and place an additional $400 million in…
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Secretary Pompeo's Interview with Bingru Wang of Phoenix TV
"You mentioned trade in particular. President Trump is committed to rebalancing the trade relationship between the two countries. He has sent our Secretary of Treasury, our Secretary of Commerce. Chinese economic leaders have traveled to the United States to begin to work on how – what that might look like and how that change might take place. And so I am sure we’ll talk about that too, but my real mission there is to go do two things: one, to share with them how the…
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Remarks by President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Abe in Joint Press Conference - North Korea
"Normalizing relations [with North Korea] is something that I would expect to do, I would hope to do, when everything is complete. We would certainly hope to do that. I know that Prime Minister Abe and President Moon have told me, very strongly, that they are going to go and they will help them economically, tremendously. Japan has a tremendous stake and so do they. We, on the other hand, are very far away. We’re very, very far away. But Japan will be helping. I…
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President Trump's Meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Abe
"Today I’m greatly honored to welcome my good friend, Prime Minister Abe of Japan, to the White House. Over the past 16 months, the Prime Minister and I have worked closely together to address common challenges, of which there are many; seize opportunities; and advance the interests of our nations. Today, we have had another deeply productive and very valuable discussion. [...] The steadfast alliance between Japan and the United States is an enduring force of peace and stability in the Pacific region and around…
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Remarks by President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Abe - Trade
"Prime Minister Abe and I are also working to improve the trading relationship between the United States and Japan — something we have to do. The United States seeks a bilateral deal with Japan that is based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity. We’re working hard to reduce our trade imbalance, which is very substantial, remove barriers to U.S. exports, and to achieve a fair and mutually beneficial economic partnership. And we’re on our way. The Prime Minister was telling us just moments ago…
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Remarks by President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Abe Before Bilateral Meeting
"I’m very well prepared [for the upcoming summit with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un]. I don’t think I have to prepare very much. It’s about attitude. It’s about willingness to get things done. But I think I’ve been preparing for this summit for a long time, as has the other side. They’ve been preparing for a long time, also. [...] This will not be just a photo op. This will be — at a minimum, we’ll start with, perhaps, a good relationship. And that’s…