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 Interview With Hugh Hewitt of MSNBC - Remarks on Human Rights
"This administration has been very clear about defending human rights. Everywhere we go we talk about it, when we meet with countries that aren’t complying with human rights in the way we would want, that aren’t consistent with our value sets. We’ve done that with Chairman Kim [of North Korea]. I know the President has spoken about that with [President] Xi [of China] as well. But you have to remember those human rights challenges existed long before this administration came in, when our policies with…
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Secretary Pompeo Interview With Hugh Hewitt of MSNBC - Remarks on China
"It was very kind of him [Chinese President Xi Jinping] to visit with me. It was late one evening. I was returning to the United States but wanted to make sure and stop in. China will have an important role to play as we work our way through the challenging issue of denuclearizing North Korea, and I wanted to make sure and explain to them the conversations that the President had had with Chairman Kim, to make sure they understood what it was we needed…
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Secretary Ross Testimony on Trade Tariffs Policy - China
Secretary Ross was questioned by numerous senators on how recent US tariff policies would affect US trade with China. View their remarks here: Senator Michael Bennet (CO); Senator John Thune (SD); Senator Sherrod Brown (OH); Senator Ron Wyden (OR); and Senator Robert J. Portman (OH)
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Remarks by President Trump at the National Federation of Independent Businesses 75th Anniversary Celebration
"As a result of all of these taxes and all of these tax cuts, American businesses now are on a level playing field with your competitors from other countries who have so many advantages, including subsidy by governments. You see what’s happening with China. We have no choice. This should have been done many years ago. We have no choice. China has been taking out $500 billion a year out of our country and rebuilding China. I always say, 'We have rebuilt China.' They’ve taken…
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Secretary Ross and Department of Commerce Issue Affirmative Preliminary Antidumping Duty Determination on Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet from China
"Today, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the affirmative preliminary determination in the first antidumping duty (AD) trade case the Federal government has initiated since 1985. This historic self-initiated AD investigation concerns imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China. [...] In its preliminary finding, Commerce determined that exporters from China have sold common alloy aluminum sheet in the United States at 167.16 percent less than fair value. As a result of today’s decision, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect…
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USTR Robert Lighthizer Statement on the President’s Additional China Trade Action
"U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer today released the following statement in support of the President’s direction that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) identify $200 billion worth of Chinese goods for additional 10 percent tariffs to address China’s harmful trade policies and practices:
'I support the President’s action. The initial tariffs that the President asked us to put in place were proportionate and responsive to forced technology transfer and intellectual property theft by the Chinese. It is very unfortunate that instead of…
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Secretary Pompeo Remarks at the Detroit Economic Club on China
"Finally, we’re taking a really hard line on foreign practices that harm America. Whether that’s threatening our technology leadership through intellectual property theft or forced technology transfer, we are hard at ensuring that we protect American property. Everyone knows today that China is the main perpetrator. It’s at an unprecedented level of larceny. I was with President Xi on Thursday night. I reminded him that that’s not fair competition. Chinese actors also continue to conduct cyber activity, so they’re not just taking it by forced…
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Statement from the President Regarding Trade with China
"Therefore, today, I directed the United States Trade Representative to identify $200 billion worth of Chinese goods for additional tariffs at a rate of 10 percent. After the legal process is complete, these tariffs will go into effect if China refuses to change its practices, and also if it insists on going forward with the new tariffs that it has recently announced. If China increases its tariffs yet again, we will meet that action by pursuing additional tariffs on another $200 billion of goods. The…
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USTR Lighthizer Issues Tariffs on Chinese Products in Response to Unfair Trade Practices
"'We must take strong defensive actions to protect America’s leadership in technology and innovation against the unprecedented threat posed by China’s theft of our intellectual property, the forced transfer of American technology, and its cyber attacks on our computer networks.China’s government is aggressively working to undermine America’s high-tech industries and our economic leadership through unfair trade practices and industrial policies like ‘Made in China 2025.’ Technology and innovation are America’s greatest economic assets and President Trump rightfully recognizes that if we want our country to…
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Remarks By Secretary Mattis at the U.S. Naval War College Commencement, Newport, Rhode Island -China
"The third category is that of political will, and that is a potential rivalry, with China harboring long-term designs to rewrite the existing global order. The Ming Dynasty appears to be their model, albeit in a more muscular manner, demanding other nations become tribute states, kowtowing to Beijing; espousing One Belt, One Road, when this diverse world has many belts and many roads; and attempting to replicate on the international stage their authoritarian domestic model, militarizing South China Sea features while using predatory economics of…