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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President Trump's Meeting with Australian Prime Minister Turnbull
"President Donald J. Trump met with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia on May 4, 2017, in New York City. The President thanked Prime Minister Turnbull for traveling to New York for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, a gesture which shows the deep ties between the United States and Australia. The President and Prime Minister Turnbull discussed the enduring bonds, deep friendship, and close alliance between the United States and Australia that have been critically important to…
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Secretary Ross' and Secretary Mnuchin’s Joint Call with China Vice Premier Wang
"Earlier today, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin held a phone conversation with Vice Premier Wang Yang of China. Commerce Secretary Ross, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Vice Premier Wang discussed bilateral issues related to the U.S.-China Comprehensive Dialogue and the overall economic and trade relationship between the two countries."
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Secretary Ross' Call with Chinese Vice Premier Wang
"Earlier today, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin held a phone conversation with Vice Premier Wang Yang of China. Commerce Secretary Ross, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Vice Premier Wang discussed bilateral issues related to the U.S.-China Comprehensive Dialogue and the overall economic and trade relationship between the two countries."
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Secretary Tillerson's Remarks to State Department Employees on US-ASEAN Relations
"Obviously, throughout Asia we’ve got a lot of work do with ASEAN nations and re-solidifying our leadership with ASEAN on a number of security issues but also trade issues and the South China Sea, strengthen relations with Australia and New Zealand – really important partners with us on a number of counterterrorism fronts. And so throughout the region those engagements are underway. And the President has committed to make the trip to Vietnam and to the Philippines for those meetings this fall, and I think…
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President Trump's Remarks on Future Meeting with North Korean Chairman Kim
"If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un], I would absolutely -- I would be honored to do it. If it’s under the -- again, under the right circumstances. But I would -- I would do that."
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Vice President Pence Interview with CBS This Morning - North Korea
"We're not going to negotiate to get at the negotiating table. North Korea knows through U.N. actions in the past, through pronouncements by the world community, they need to abandon their nuclear program, abandon their ballistic missile program, they need to stand down in a very real sense to have the right to engage the world community on the way forward."
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Vice President Pence's Interview with Face the Nation - Indo-Pacific
"I think there was a great deal of gratitude for the leadership President Trump is providing, and the renewed commitment that we have to our allies in the region. Whether it was my time in South Korea or Japan or Australia...I just heard again and again how grateful the leaders of those countries are to see the resolve the president has to finally bring to a conclusion a 25-year objective of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. [...] But I think they greatly welcome the…
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President Trump's Interview with Bloomberg - The Philippines
"The Philippines is very important to me strategically and militarily. And I’ve had numerous conversations with the leader of the Philippines [President Rodrigo Duterte] and -- and he’s got a big problem. He’s got a massive drug problem. He’s been very, very tough on that drug problem, but he has a massive drug problem. He is very popular in the Philippines. He has a very high approval rating in the Philippines. But he’s very popular in the Philippines. I -- yes, I -- I look…
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Vice President Pence Interview with CBS This Morning - China and North Korea
"Well, we-- we have word of-- of China turning back coal shipments from North Korea. We have word of them-- beginning to-- reduce the amount of commercial travel that exists between North Korea. But as the secretary of state said at the U.N. last week, China needs to do more. We're calling on our allies in the region to reconsider their diplomatic relations with North Korea. We're-- we're calling on allies in the region to reconsider their guest worker program that provides an enormous amount…
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President Trump's Call with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee
"President Donald J. Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore. The two leaders affirmed their commitment to the close partnership between the United States of America and the Republic of Singapore. This partnership is marked by thriving trade and investment, robust security cooperation, and close collaboration on regional and global challenges. President Trump invited Prime Minister Lee to the White House to further strengthen ties."
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President Trump's Interview with Face the Nation - China and North Korea
"You can never be sure of anything, can you? But I developed a very good relationship [with China]. I don't think they [China] want to see a destabilized North Korea. I don't think they want to see it. They certainly don't want to see nuclear on -- from their neighbor. They haven't liked it for a long time. But we'll have to see what happens. The relationship I have with China, it's been already acclaimed as being something very special, something very different than we've…