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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Remarks by President Trump on China and the Coronavirus
Q Okay. Why do you keep calling this the “Chinese virus”? There are reports of dozens of incidents of bias against Chinese Americans in this country. Your own aide, Secretary Azar, says he does not use this term. He says, “Ethnicity does not cause the virus.” Why do you keep using this? A lot of —
THE PRESIDENT: Because it comes from China.
Q — people say it’s racist.
THE PRESIDENT: It’s not racist at all. No. Not at all. It comes from China. That’s…
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Remarks by President Trump on China and the Coronavirus
"Q Mr. President, if I could, on China: They reported, for the first time since the outbreak, no new cases over a 24-hour period. Do you have any reason to disbelieve them? And second to that: The National Security Council yesterday put out a tweet very critical of the Chinese government, saying the Chinese Communist Party suppressed initial reports on the Chinese virus and punished doctors and journalists causing Chinese and international experts to miss critical opportunities to prevent a global pandemic.
Could you expand…
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Secretary Pompeo With Sean Hannity of The Sean Hannity Show - China and North Korea
"QUESTION: Here with a lot more on this and so much more, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Mr. Secretary, great to see you. Thank you for being with us. You actually brought in Chinese representatives to your office on this very topic of blaming the U.S. military and other issues. Can you bring us inside that conversation?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, Sean, thanks for having me on tonight. We did, in fact, call on the Chinese ambassador, and I spoke to my counterpart in China a…
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Secretary Michael R. Pompeo Remarks to the Press - China
"QUESTION: [...] And then separately, a note that went out yesterday from the State Department saying that China is spreading information about the origins of coronavirus – in light of that, do you believe that China’s containment has been as successful as officials there say? And then do you believe that China is honestly reporting its infection numbers? [...]SECRETARY POMPEO: Your question about China – look, the disinformation campaign that they are waging is designed to shift responsibility. Now is not the time for recrimination…
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President Trump's Remarks on China During Press Briefing
"Q And given that many of the precursors for our pharmaceuticals come from China, and there have been disrupt- — there have been supply disruptions — that supply chain has been broken to some degree — do you expect that we could run into a shortage of prescription drugs?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I don’t see that at all. And I think China has every incentive to make sure that things work well. China wants to make sure that things work very well. They have every…
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Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar spoke March 14 to discuss COVID-19 developments, including ways in which India and the United States can cooperate to address this global challenge."
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Secretary Pompeo on the Release of the 2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - China
"In China, the Chinese Communist Party uses high-tech surveillance systems to monitor potential dissidents.
It’s imprisoning religious minorities in internment camps – part of its historic antipathy to religious believers.
As I’ve said before, the CCP’s record in Xinjiang is the “stain of the century.” It tries to hide what it’s doing by intimidating journalists.
Chinese citizens who want a better future are met with violence.
In July, Wang Meiyu stood outside a police station calling for elections. The police arrested him, and less than…
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Secretary Pompeo’s Meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Payne
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne today to discuss coordination of U.S. and Australia policy in the Indo-Pacific, including through the annual Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN), as well as trilateral infrastructure cooperation with Japan, and Quad coordination with Japan and India. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Payne reaffirmed their commitment to engage with ASEAN, which remains at the heart of our respective visions for the Indo-Pacific. They also discussed the need to protect freedom and sovereignty in the…
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Secretary Pompeo’s Remarks to the Press - China
"On Monday, our USAID announced $37 million in financing allocated for countries affected or at high risk of the Wuhan virus’s spread. That comes on top of the $100 million in humanitarian assistance and delivery of more than 17 tons of assistance that the United States has sent to the Chinese people back in January. [...]
Turning to China: Last week we applied a personnel cap on five Chinese state-backed propaganda outlets here in the United States. We took this action in service of President Trump’s…
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Secretary Esper's Remarks During Pentagon Year 2021 Budget Hearing - China and US Indo-Pacific Force Posture
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Readout of Secretary Esper’s Telephone Call with the People’s Republic of China’s Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe
"Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper spoke by phone with the People’s Republic of China Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe on March 3, 2020. Secretary Esper used the call to advance a constructive, stable, and results-oriented defense relationship between the United States and China.
Dr. Esper shared with Minister Wei recent developments towards achieving sustainable peace in Afghanistan and the importance of the United States and China continuing cooperation and dialogue to advance shared interests of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Secretary…