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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Statement on Call Between the United States and China - United States Trade Representative
"Washington, DC – Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Mnuchin participated in a regularly scheduled call this evening with China’s Vice Premier Liu He to discuss implementation of the historic Phase One Agreement between the United States and China. The parties addressed steps that China has taken to effectuate structural changes called for by the Agreement that will ensure greater protection for intellectual property rights, remove impediments to American companies in the areas of financial services and agriculture, and eliminate forced technology transfer. The parties also discussed…
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Readout of Secretary Esper's Call with Mongolian Minister of Defense Saikhanbayar
"On August 24, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper held a telephone call with his Mongolian counterpart, Minister of Defense G. Saikhanbayar.
Secretary Esper reaffirmed our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and thanked Mongolia for its continued contributions to global peacekeeping operations and Coalition efforts in Afghanistan.
Both leaders agreed to develop further the bilateral strategic partnership under Mongolia’s “third neighbor policy,” which Secretary Esper characterized as important for maintaining Mongolia’s sovereignty and supporting its force modernization."
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Republican National Convention Nomination Vote in Charlotte, North Carolina - President Trump's Remarks on China
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Secretary Pompeo With Joe Kernen and Wilfred Frost of CNBC’s Squawk Box - China
"QUESTION: [...] Anyway, we’ll get to the Iran sanctions in a moment, but first I want to ask you about the latest with China – the U.S.-China Trade Deal Phase One, the prospects for Phase Two – and then I want to ask some additional – get some additional color on whether we ever have good relations again with such an important trading partner given the rhetoric on both sides. But where is Phase One?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Thanks for having me on. I’m glad we…
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Remarks by President Trump During Border Wall Construction and Operational Update - China
"Q U.S.-China talks were postponed. You were supposed to have a review of this —
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t want to — that’s right.
Q — trade deal. So —
THE PRESIDENT: I postponed them.
Q So, is the —
THE PRESIDENT: I postponed talks with China. You know why? I don’t want to deal with them now. I don’t want to deal with them now. With what they did to this country and to the world, I don’t want to talk to China right…
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Commerce Department Further Restricts Huawei Access to U.S. Technology and Adds Another 38 Affiliates to the Entity List
"The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce (Commerce) today further restricted access by Huawei Technologies (Huawei) and its non-U.S. affiliates on the Entity List to items produced domestically and abroad from U.S. technology and software. In addition, BIS added another 38 Huawei affiliates to the Entity List, which imposes a license requirement for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and modified four existing Huawei Entity List entries. BIS also imposed license requirements on any transaction involving items…
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The United States Further Restricts Huawei Access to U.S. Technology
"The Trump Administration sees Huawei for what it is – an arm of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) surveillance state – and we have taken action accordingly. Today, our government enacted several measures to protect U.S. national security, our citizens’ privacy, and the integrity of our 5G infrastructure from Beijing’s malign influence.
The Department of State strongly supports the Commerce Department’s expansion today of its Foreign Direct Product Rule, which will prevent Huawei from circumventing U.S. law through alternative chip production and provision of off-the-shelf…
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Secretary Pompeo and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa at a Press Availability - China
"SECRETARY POMPEO: [...] It’s important now more than ever, perhaps. The contrast between free and unfree societies has never been clearer, and free nations must work together to confront authoritarian threats. Slovenia has remarkably supported EU sanctions against Russia because it is concerned about its malign activity against Ukraine, but of course we face a number of other threats as well.
Chief among those threats is the Chinese Communist Party and its drive to control people and information and our economies. As you just saw…
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Designation of the Confucius Institute U.S. Center as a Foreign Mission of the PRC
"The Trump Administration has made it a priority to seek fair and reciprocal treatment from the People’s Republic of China. For more than four decades, Beijing has enjoyed free and open access to U.S. society, while denying that same access to Americans and other foreigners in China. Furthermore, the PRC has taken advantage of America’s openness to undertake large scale and well-funded propaganda efforts and influence operations in this country.
Today, the Department of State designated the Confucius Institute U.S. Center as a foreign mission…
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Republic of Korea National Day
"On behalf of the Government of the United States and the American people, I extend best wishes to the Republic of Korea and Koreans everywhere on the occasion of their National Day.
The enduring strength of our alliance is a force for the advancement of democracy, prosperity, and freedom in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world. We celebrate the shared values, people-to-people ties, and long-standing friendship that make up the strong bond between our two countries and form the foundation of our work together…