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 Remarks on Religious Freedom in China and Myanmar
"Around the world, adherents from innumerable faith backgrounds suffer similar violations of their most fundamental human rights. Earlier this year, the State Department hosted six United States-based Uighur journalists with Radio Free Asia’s Uighur Service. Their reporting indicates that Chinese authorities are likely detaining, at least, hundreds of thousands of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in internment camps in Xinjiang. One journalist, Gulchehra Hoja, shared that 23 of her family members have been detained in the region. She, like others, have little to no information…
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USTR Robert Lighthizer Statement on Agriculture Assistance Against Illegal Trade Retaliation
"U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer today released the following statement regarding the President’s decision for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist farmers and ranchers affected by illegal retaliation on trade by other countries: 'President Trump is taking strong action, as he promised, to make sure America’s farmers and ranchers are not left to bear the brunt of illegal retaliation by China and other countries. The Trump Administration will continue to defend our economy from unfair trading practices and work to advance free, fair and…
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Secretary Ross's Remarks on Workforce Training - China
"The shortage of the most highly trained technologists and engineers is both an economic and a national security issue. One of the biggest risks our employers and our military contractors face is having foreign nationals steal their most important asset — their intellectual property — and provide it to our overseas competitors. Last week, Apple filed criminal charges against one of its former Chinese employees for stealing its IP involving the company’s autonomous vehicle development program. That engineer is accused of providing trade secrets to…
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President Trump Interview with CNBC - Trade with China
"I really like President Xi a lot, but it was very unfair, so I raised 50. We’re down 500. Now some people would say $375 billion. I’m not talking about million. I’m not talking about pennies. I’m talking about – we’re down $375 billion, but other estimates could say 507, it doesn’t matter. So it’s in between there, or it’s there. We’re down a tremendous amount. I raised 50, and they matched us. I said, 'You don’t match us. You can’t match us because otherwise…
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Secretary Pompeo's Interview With Nike Ching of VOA [Voice of America] - Human Rights in China
"QUESTION: In China, the State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report documented the repression against the Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists. First of all, would you – how would you respond to the assertion from the Chinese Government that some of the groups are separatist? And secondly, would you consider a travel ban or working with the Treasury Department to freeze the U.S. assets of those Chinese officials who are involved in such repression?
SECRETARY POMPEO: So the State Department has made clear that with respect…
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United States Challenges Five WTO Members Imposing Illegal Tariffs Against U.S. Products
"The United States today launched separate disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against China, the European Union, Canada, Mexico and Turkey, challenging the tariffs each WTO Member imposed in response to President Trump’s actions on trade in aluminum and steel to protect the United States’ national security interests. The U.S. steel and aluminum duties imposed by President Trump earlier this year are justified under international agreements the United States and its trading partners have approved. However, retaliatory duties on U.S. exports imposed by China…
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Remarks by Vice President Pence at the U.S. Department of Commerce - China
"The evidence is clear: China is implementing a sustained, centralized, and strategic effort to undermine America’s global economic leadership. The Chinese use ownership and investment restrictions to force American companies to hand over technological blueprints. China imposes licensing requirements that unfairly favor its own businesses. And China has enacted long-term industrial plans that prop up state-owned companies with massive government subsidies, and enable them to overwhelm American companies with an over-supply of underpriced goods. [...] Earlier this month, our administration began implementing up to $5…
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Commerce Department Lifts Ban After ZTE Deposits Final Tranche of $1.4 Billion Penalty
"Today, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross 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 placed $400 million in escrow at a U.S. bank. Shortly after the deposit, the Department lifted the denial order on ZTE pursuant to a June settlement agreement that included the harshest penalties and strictest compliance measures ever imposed in such a case. The escrow funds are in addition to the $1 billion penalty imposed…
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Remarks by President Trump at Press Conference After NATO Summit - China
"I’ve said from day one, whether it’s China or Russia — you know, we’re working on trade with China right now, and I don’t say that’s an easy situation, because that’s been years of abuse of the United States by presidents, frankly, that allowed that to happen. So I’ve taken over a lot of bad hands, and I’m fixing each one of them and I’m fixing them well. But China is going to be, I think, very successfully, ultimately, taken care of. I have a…
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Remarks by Vice President Pence at Rockwell Collins - China
"And for the first time in 13 years, American beef is going to China. And we’re going to continue to work hard to lower the trade barriers. The President is over at a NATO Summit, but I guarantee you he’s talking about trade and he’s talking about American agriculture. The truth of the matter is, the President really does believe, and we all believe, that for too long America’s trading relationships with many of our leading trade partners have been too one-sided, with those countries…
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Remarks by Vice President Pence at “Tax Cuts to Put America First” Event - China
"Under President Trump, we’re standing up to countries that have for too long benefitted by access to the American market without giving reciprocal access to their markets. Countries — in particular, like China — have been informed that the days of disproportionate and imbalanced trade relationships with the United States are coming to an end. The truth of the matter is, the President has taken a strong stand with China and with other trading partners around the world who have, frankly, taken advantage of imbalanced…
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U.S. Department of Commerce Initiates Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Investigations of Imports of Steel Racks from China
"Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the initiation of new antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations to determine whether steel racks from China are being dumped in the United States and to determine if producers in China are receiving unfair subsidies. [...] In the AD investigation, Commerce will determine whether imports of steel racks from China are being dumped in the U.S. market at less than fair value. The alleged dumping margins range from 130.0 to 144.5 percent. In the CVD…