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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U.S. Secretaries of Defense and State, Indian Ministers of Defense and External Affairs Provide Remarks at the Beginning of the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue
"SECRETARY MIKE POMPEO: Thank you very much. It’s an honor to be here with you (inaudible) for the third 2+2 (inaudible) all three. Our friendship and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific was clearly, clearly highly on display when we were in Tokyo this past week and a half for the Quad meeting that Minister Jaishankar and I had with our Australian and Japanese friends earlier this month.
Today is real opportunity for two great democracies like ours to grow closer, as I said…
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Secretary Pompeo With Rahul Shivshankar of Times Now
"QUESTION: Secretary Pompeo, welcome to Times Now. Welcome to India. You have just had a very intensive 36 hours roughly. You signed certain foundation agreements that takes the relationship to a completely different level. We’ve even mentioned the destabilizing actions of China. Has the United States therefore decided to offer India more than just diplomatic assistance in the event of a conflict, let’s assume, with China or Pakistan?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, thanks for having me with you today. We did sign a series of important…
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Secretary Pompeo’s Meeting with Indian Prime Minister Modi
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, jointly with Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper, met today with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, India. Secretary Pompeo and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the warm and close relationship between our countries, which is rooted in our vibrant democratic traditions and fostered by strong ties between our citizens. Secretary Pompeo and Prime Minister Modi discussed several issues of regional and global concern on which the United States and India collaborate, including COVID-19 response, security and defense…
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Joint Statement on the Third U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue
"India’s Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper to New Delhi for the third annual U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. The Ministers welcomed the elevation of the U.S.-India relationship to a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership during the visit of President Donald J. Trump to India in February 2020. They reiterated their commitment to further strengthening the U.S.-India partnership, anchored in mutual trust and friendship…
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Secretary Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh Joint Press Availability at the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue
"SECRETARY ESPER: Minister Singh, Minister Jaishankar, Secretary Pompeo, it is great to be here in New Delhi and for the four of us to meet and to discuss the important issues of the day and indeed the important issues of the future.
As the world confronts a global pandemic and growing security challenges, the United States-India partnership is more important than ever to ensure security, stability, and prosperity of the region and the world.
Fifteen years after the conclusion of the first U.S.-India Defense Framework…
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USTR and USDA Release Report on Agricultural Trade between the United States and China
"Washington, DC – The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today issued a report highlighting the progress made to date in implementing the agricultural provisions in the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement, which is delivering historic results for American agriculture.
Since the Agreement entered into force, the United States and China have addressed a multitude of structural barriers in China that had been impeding exports of U.S. food and agricultural products. To date, China has…
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Readout of Secretary Esper's Bilateral Engagement With India Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh
"Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper met today with Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh ahead of the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi, India. Secretary Esper and Minister Singh applauded the strength of the defense relationship between the United States and India, and reinforced their commitment to deepening military-to-military cooperation, including joint-service cooperation; increasing secure communications capabilities; and enhancing mutual logistics engagements. Secretary Esper and Minister Singh commended the conclusion of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement during the visit, and welcomed the…
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On the Loss of Life Due to Significant Flooding in Central Vietnam
"The Government of the United States expresses its deepest condolences to the Government and people of Vietnam as they mourn those who perished due to significant flooding in the central region of Vietnam as a result of Tropical Storm Linfa. The U.S. government stands ready to assist Vietnam in addressing the damage caused by the floods, and we send our deepest sympathies to all affected by this tragedy, including the many thousands who were displaced."
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Joint Press Statement of the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
"We are grateful to all who have participated in today’s conference, including those who announced or pledged funding for the international humanitarian response, those who are supporting members of the Rohingya communities in other ways — not least by hosting them — and most importantly, representatives of Rohingya communities themselves.
The situation in the region remains an acute humanitarian and human rights crisis more than three years after the August 2017 violence, which caused hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people to flee their homes…
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U.S. Announces Humanitarian Assistance at the International Conference on Sustaining Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response
"Today, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) conducted a virtual conference on Sustaining International Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response. The United States announced nearly $200 million in additional humanitarian assistance provided in Fiscal Year 2020 for Rohingya refugees, host communities in Bangladesh and other countries in the region, and internally displaced Rohingya and other crisis-affected communities in Burma, including those who fled ethnic cleansing in Rakhine State.
The United States remains the most generous financial…
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Secretary Pompeo at a Press Availability - Indo-Pacific
"Look, today I want to talk about a number of multilateral initiatives that we’re advancing here at the State Department. We’re cooperating with our partners and allies and friends across the world in unprecedented ways. It’s been a hallmark of the administration that frankly deserves more attention.
Look, it starts with working to go out and meet with these people. This Sunday I’ll depart for India, for Sri Lanka, for the Maldives, and then on to Indonesia. On every stop I will discuss a broad…
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Remarks by Secretary Ross at the 2020 Meeting of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Virtual Meeting - China
"My thanks to the Advisory Councils and all of our federal agencies for your hard work and contributions to ending modern slavery. My Department stands together with you in full support of this important effort. And we are deploying our authorities and resources to rid our supply chains around the globe of these anathemas.
Notably, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry Security (BIS) has imposed export controls on entities demonstrating consistent abuses to human rights or whose surveillance technologies are enabling such activities. Since October…
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On the Passing of Former Marshallese President Litokwa Tomeing
"On behalf of the Government of the United States, I want to convey my deepest condolences to the family of former President Litokwa Tomeing and to the people of the Marshall Islands on his passing.
President Tomeing was a seminal figure in the founding institutions of his nation, including his role in the Marshall Islands Constitutional Convention. The Republic of the Marshall Islands was blessed by his vibrant political career in local and national governments. Perhaps one of his greatest legacies is the part he…
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The United States Imposes Sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong Persons for Activities Related to Supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines
"The international community has long recognized that the Iranian regime uses the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) to transport proliferation-sensitive items intended for Iran’s ballistic missile and military programs. A provision of UN Security Council Resolution 1929 mandates vigilance when doing business with IRISL and entities owned or controlled by IRISL under certain circumstances. This provision is now in effect due to the snapback of UN sanctions.
Today, the United States is sanctioning six entities and two individuals for conduct related to IRISL…
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Meeting of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons - China
"Finally, the Department will continue to strongly condemn the Chinese Communist Party’s egregious practice of forced labor, among other human rights abuses, as part of its campaign of repression against Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in the Xinjiang, and throughout China. In response, the United States has leveled visa restrictions on PRC government and Chinese Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for such horrific human rights abuses, built coalitions through platforms like the United Nations General Assembly, and issued…
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Joint Statement Regarding Secretary Esper's Meeting With Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto
"Today, Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper met with Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto at the Pentagon to discuss regional security, bilateral defense priorities, and defense acquisitions. Secretary Esper communicated the importance of upholding human rights, the rule of law, and professionalization as the two countries expand their engagement. Minister Subianto expressed the importance of military engagement at all levels, and communicated his appreciation for the United States' support for Indonesia’s defense modernization. Both leaders shared their desire to enhance bilateral military-to-military activities…
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Secretary Pompeo With Erick Erickson of The Erick Erickson Show on WSB Atlanta - China
"QUESTION: I’m great. I’m glad you could stop by this morning, because I was thinking every conversation I’ve had with the President or Vice President the last couple of months has involved conversations on China. And now with Apple rolling out its new iPhone next week in 5G, it just seems like we’re seeing American tech companies and even institutions in this country, like through Confucius Institutes, more and more entangled with China, and would love to pick your brain on that topic.
SECRETARY POMPEO…
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Secretary Pompeo With Jayme West and Jim Sharpe of Arizona Morning News on KTAR Phoenix - China
"QUESTION: We are joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Arizona’s morning news, and speaking of the President, we have heard him talk a lot about how China is going to pay for unleashing this virus. Any idea how he is going to make China pay and when that would happen?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Absolutely. I don’t want to get out in front of decisions he’s going to make, but I would argue that the Chinese Communist Party is already paying dearly for it. You…
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Secretary Pompeo With Bud Hedinger of Good Morning Orlando on WFLA Orlando - China
"QUESTION: Live with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. We only have a couple of minutes together. I’m glad you brought it up here, because I know you wanted to come on and sound the alarm about the danger of China’s Confucius Institutes set up on American college campuses, allegedly to teach Chinese language and culture. But you see a dark side to this, don’t you, sir?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Bud, the cover story is that they’re coming here for cultural goodwill and to teach Mandarin. The…
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Secretary Pompeo With Paul W. Smith of The Paul W. Smith Show on WJR Detroit - China
"QUESTION: You’re in the heart of the automotive industry, and a lot of things have been done in China, and have been – we’ve depended on China for buying a lot of our product over the last several years. What about travel to China?
SECRETARY POMPEO: So the Chinese Communist Party presents a very unique challenge for the United States of America. This is a nation that under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping desires frankly to destroy our way of life, the very…
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Secretary Pompeo With Tony Katz of The Morning News on WIBC Indianapolis - China
"QUESTION: Tony Katz. So great to be with you. We have talked often about China’s influence in the United States and how China tries to work (inaudible) on college campuses, where you’re not able to speak out against China. One of the ways they do this is with Confucius Institutes. We’ve had these conversations with Congressman Jim Banks of the Indiana Third. Before, we’ve seen Confucius Institutes removed from college campuses. Chuck Grassley, senator from Iowa, referring to Confucius Institutes as fronts for Chinese propaganda.
…
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On the Passing of Former Palau President Kuniwo Nakamura
"On behalf of the Government of the United States, I want to convey my deepest condolences to the family of former President Kuniwo Nakamura and the people of Palau on his passing. President Nakamura was a great statesman who guided Palau’s independence and fostered the emergence of our close and enduring relationship of free association.
Together, our two countries honor his memory and legacy through our commitment to shared values. As President Nakamura told the UN General Assembly, Palau is “large in things that count”…