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 Meeting with Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member Yang Jiechi
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Politburo Member Yang Jiechi in Honolulu, Hawaii to exchange views on U.S.-China relations. The Secretary stressed important American interests and the need for fully-reciprocal dealings between the two nations across commercial, security, and diplomatic interactions. He also stressed the need for full transparency and information sharing to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and prevent future outbreaks."
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G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Hong Kong
"We, the Foreign Ministers of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the High Representative of the European Union underscore our grave concern regarding China’s decision to impose a national security law on Hong Kong.
China’s decision is not in conformity with the Hong Kong Basic Law and its international commitments under the principles of the legally binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration. The proposed national security law would risk seriously undermining the “One Country, Two Systems” principle and the territory’s…
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Statement by President Trump on the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020
"Today, I have signed into law S. 3744, the “Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020” (the “Act”). The Act holds accountable perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses such as the systematic use of indoctrination camps, forced labor, and intrusive surveillance to eradicate the ethnic identity and religious beliefs of Uyghurs and other minorities in China. I note, however, that section 6(g) of the Act purports to limit my discretion to terminate inadmissibility sanctions under the Act. In some circumstances, this limitation could be…
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Transcript of President Trump’s Interview With The Wall Street Journal
[...] Mr. Trump: I don’t know. We’ll have a lot of jobs before November 3. I mean, all I can say is this: We will have created a lot of jobs prior to November 3. Tremendous number of jobs, a tremendous increase, I expect a tremendous increase in GDP. And we’ll be heading you know, for the top. We’ll be back. And we’ve had a lot of advantages, a lot of experience. We did it once and we’ll do it again. Bottom line is we…
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Text of a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to North Korea
"On June 26, 2008, by Executive Order 13466, the President declared a national emergency with respect to North Korea pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula. The President also found that it was necessary to maintain certain restrictions with respect to North Korea that would otherwise…
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Secretary Esper's Op-Ed in "The Straits Times" on US Indo-Pacific Policy
"As an Indo-Pacific nation, the United States is committed to ensuring the region remains free and open for all, and upholding the rules and norms that have secured prosperity for nations of all sizes.
In the year since the Department of Defence released the Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, we have made great strides across the three pillars of our strategy: preparedness, strengthening partnerships, and promoting a more networked region - but there is still much more work to be done.
First, under preparedness, we are prioritising…
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Secretary Esper's Phone Call With the Philippines Secretary of Defense Delfin N. Lorenzana
"Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper spoke by phone today with his Philippine counterpart, Secretary of National Defense Delfin N. Lorenzana. Secretary Esper wished Secretary Lorenzana a Happy Independence Day and reiterated his support for a strong and enduring U.S.-Philippine defense alliance. Secretary Esper expressed his support for the Philippines Government decision last week to suspend the Visiting Forces Agreement termination, and reiterated how the agreement benefits both countries. Further, Secretary Esper and Secretary Lorenzana discussed a range of regional security issues including impacts…
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Philippines Independence Day
"On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I wish the people of the Republic of the Philippines a happy and prosperous independence day on June 12.
The U.S.-Philippine alliance is fortified by our shared history, rich people-to-people ties, and deep bilateral cooperation. As we stood together during World War II and in the global fight against terrorism, our nations are partnering again to contain and mitigate COVID-19. Our friendship and cooperation stand as a model for ensuring peace, stability, prosperity, and…
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Press Availability on the Release of the 2019 International Religious Freedom Report - China
"And in China, state-sponsored repression against all religions continues to intensify. The Chinese Communist Party is now ordering religious organizations to obey CCP leadership and infuse communist dogma into their teachings and practice of their faith. The mass detentions of Uighurs in Xinjiang continues. So does the repression of Tibetans and Buddhists and Falun Gong and Christians. [...]
Speaking of China, last week I was humbled and honored to meet with several survivors of the Chinese Communist Party’s massacre at Tiananmen Square that happened 31 years…
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On China’s Attempted Coercion of the United Kingdom
"The United States stands with our allies and partners against the Chinese Communist Party’s coercive bullying tactics. In the latest example, Beijing has reportedly threatened to punish British bank HSBC and to break commitments to build nuclear power plants in the United Kingdom unless London allows Huawei to build its 5G network. Shenzhen-based Huawei is an extension of the Chinese Communist Party’s surveillance state.
The CCP’s browbeating of HSBC, in particular, should serve as a cautionary tale. Just last week, the bank’s Asia-Pacific CEO, Peter…
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Ambassador Lighthizer's Op-Ed in "Foreign Affairs" - China
"The principles of a worker-focused trade policy should be front and center as the United States confronts two of the most significant trade challenges it will face in the coming years: market-distorting state capitalism in China and a dysfunctional WTO.
No trade policy decision since the end of World War II proved more devastating to working people than the extension of permanent normal trade relations to China in 2000—a legal status entitling it to the lowest possible tariffs. Despite President Bill…
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Remarks by President Trump on the Jobs Numbers Report - China
"But we are doing something that — this was an important day because this shows that what we’ve been doing is right. And the reason it’s been and is so good is because the body was strong. Our body was so powerful that we could actually close our country, save millions of lives, stop people very early on, from China, from coming in — because we stopped early, at the end of January, very early, people coming from China, who were infected, coming into our…
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On the Chinese Communist Party’s Obscene Propaganda
"The Chinese Communist Party’s callous exploitation of the tragic death of George Floyd to justify its authoritarian denial of basic human dignity exposes its true colors yet again. As with dictatorships throughout history, no lie is too obscene, so long as it serves the Party’s lust for power. This laughable propaganda should not fool anyone.
The contrast between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could not be more stark.
In China, when a church burns, the attack was almost certainly directed by…
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New Nasdaq Restrictions Affecting Listing of Chinese Companies
"The Trump Administration is committed to ensuring that all American businesses and investors can operate on a level playing field with the rest of the world. As part of this ongoing effort, I applaud Nasdaq for requiring auditing firms to ensure all listed companies comply with international reporting and inspection standards.
Nasdaq’s announcement is particularly important given a pattern of fraudulent accounting practices in China-based companies. To protect American investors and U.S. national security, President Trump moved to stop the investment of U.S. federal employee…
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Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Partners on COVID-19 - Australia, India, and South Korea
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Brazil, India, Israel, and the Republic of Korea. Secretary Pompeo and his counterparts discussed the importance of continued close coordination in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They noted the importance of close cooperation in reopening our economies and combatting disinformation, while also addressing the need for concerted efforts to prevent future pandemics."
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Secretary Pompeo’s Meeting with Tiananmen Square Survivors
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo was honored to meet yesterday with Wang Dan, Su Xiaokang, Liane Lee, and Henry Li – four of the thousands of brave participants in the heroic protests for democracy that were brutally put down by the Chinese Communist Party on June 4, 1989."
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Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, and UK Counterparts
"Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke yesterday with Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, and United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. They discussed our coordination on responding to urgent global challenges, including the PRC’s unilateral and arbitrary decision to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong; Iran’s destabilizing activities in Iraq and the Middle East; and the need for a transparent accounting into the origins of, and global response to, COVID-19. They also discussed coordination to…
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U.S. Limits the People’s Liberation Army’s Ability to Use Nonimmigrant Visa Programs to Illicitly Acquire U.S. Technologies and Intellectual Property
"On May 29 President Trump issued a proclamation that limits the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) ability to misuse nonimmigrant student and researcher visa programs. The Trump Administration is committed to achieving a fair and reciprocal relationship with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and also continues to value the important contributions of international students and researchers, including from China. However, the Administration is also committed to protecting our national and economic security. We will not tolerate PRC attempts to illicitly acquire American technology and intellectual…
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Secretary Pompeo With Maria Bartiromo of Fox News Sunday Morning Futures - China and Taiwan
"QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, let me switch gears and ask you about China. And here I want to take you back and really reiterate your background. You come from the world of intelligence. You, of course, are a West Point graduate, the finest military academy in the world. You were the head of the CIA. You were on the House Intel Committee when you were in Congress. You have been investigating China and zeroing in on behavior of China for 10 years. Can you assess the…
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Remarks by President Trump in Roundtable Discussion with Industry Executives on Reopening - China
"Q Referencing your Rose Garden event, we see tensions with China over the virus, now over Hong Kong. Are we witnessing the start of a cold war between the United States and China?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we’re certainly not happy with what happened with respect to China. They have a virus that started, and when it got out of control, perhaps — I assume that’s what happened; it got out of control, whichever way — and they stopped it from going to China, but they…
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Remarks by President Trump on Actions Against China
"THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Good afternoon. Thank you. I’m here today to talk about our relationship with China and several new measures to protect American security and prosperity.
China’s pattern of misconduct is well known. For decades, they have ripped off the United States like no one has ever done before. Hundreds of billions of dollars a year were lost dealing with China, especially over the years during the prior administration. China raided our factories, offshored our jobs, gutted our industries, stole our…
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Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Students and Researchers from the People’s Republic of China
"The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is engaged in a wide‑ranging and heavily resourced campaign to acquire sensitive United States technologies and intellectual property, in part to bolster the modernization and capability of its military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The PRC’s acquisition of sensitive United States technologies and intellectual property to modernize its military is a threat to our Nation’s long-term economic vitality and the safety and security of the American people.
The PRC authorities use some Chinese students, mostly post‑graduate students and post-doctorate…
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Secretary Esper's Phone Call With Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh
"Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper spoke by phone today with his Indian counterpart, Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh. Secretary Esper conveyed condolences regarding the recent loss of life in West Bengal, India, due to Cyclone Amphan and the two leaders discussed ongoing cooperation on the COVID-19 pandemic. Secretary Esper and Minister Singh discussed a range of regional security issues and the Secretary expressed his firm commitment to India’s leadership across the Indo-Pacific. Secretary Esper reiterated his support for a strong and enduring U.S.-India…
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Samoa Independence Day
"On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I send my best wishes to the people of Samoa as you celebrate your Independence Day on June 1.
The United States and the Independent State of Samoa remain close and enduring partners in the Pacific. Our two countries support shared values of democracy, freedom, rule of law, and prosperity. Samoa has endured a difficult year marked by the deadly measles epidemic, and now the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States and Samoa worked together…
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Secretary Pompeo With Laura Ingraham of Fox News - China
"QUESTION: Joining us now is Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Mr. Secretary, thank you for joining us tonight. Your statement seemed to signal the beginning of a new era in U.S.-China relations, and can you tell us tonight, without getting ahead of the President, that this is a serious turn away for our – from our engagement with China to a much tougher approach to what they’ve done to Hong Kong?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Laura, it’s great to be with you. The statement that I made…
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Remarks by President Trump Announcing an Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship - China and India
"Q Are you worried about the situation on the border between India and China?
THE PRESIDENT: Ah, India. He loves India so much. He’s never asked a question other than an India question, and that’s okay. I just got back from India, right?
Q I (inaudible) Indian, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: I just beat COVID.
Q You are very popular in India.
THE PRESIDENT: I got back — I know. And they like me in India. I think they like me in India certainly more than…
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PRC National People’s Congress Proposal on Hong Kong National Security Legislation
"Last week, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) National People’s Congress announced its intention to unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong. Beijing’s disastrous decision is only the latest in a series of actions that fundamentally undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms and China’s own promises to the Hong Kong people under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a UN-filed international treaty.
The State Department is required by the Hong Kong Policy Act to assess the autonomy of the territory from China. After careful…
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Ambassador Lighthizer's Remarks on U.S.-China Phase One Agreement
"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) today announced additional progress in the implementation of the agriculture-related provisions of the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement (The Agreement), which entered into force on February 14, 2020. Recent actions described below build upon the actions announced by USDA and USTR on February 25, March 10, and March 24. These are difficult times for both our countries. It is important that we each continue to…
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Secretary Esper's Remarks on China on the Hugh Hewitt Show
[Hugh Hewitt] HH: Let me begin with what Senator Rick Scott just told me. I asked him are we in Cold War 2.0, and the Senator responded absolutely concerning China. There’s no question about it. Do you agree, Secretary Esper, that Cold War 2.0 with China has begun?
[Mark Esper] ME: There’s certainly been a change in this country over the last few months after we’ve seen what China has done with regard to the Coronavirus. I think it’s the latest example of China once…
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P.R.C. Proposal To Impose National Security Legislation on Hong Kong
"The United States condemns the People’s Republic of China (PRC) National People’s Congress proposal to unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong. The decision to bypass Hong Kong’s well-established legislative processes and ignore the will of the people of Hong Kong would be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a UN-filed agreement.
Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of liberty. The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider…
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The United States Designates Company Providing Services for Iranian Airline Mahan Air’s Operations in China
"The People’s Republic of China is one of the rapidly dwindling number of countries that welcomes Mahan Air, which ferries weapons and terrorists around the world for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Such cooperation has consequences.
Today, the United States designated Shanghai Saint Logistics Limited, a PRC-based company that provides general sales agent services for the Specially Designated Global Terrorist Iranian airline. The United States designated Mahan Air in 2011 under a counterterrorism authority for providing material support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps –…
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Secretary Pompeo at a Press Availability - China and Taiwan
"I want to begin today with a few observations on China, because the media’s focus on the current pandemic risks missing the bigger picture of the challenge that’s presented by the Chinese Communist Party. First, basic facts. China’s been ruled by a brutal, authoritarian regime, a communist regime since 1949.
For several decades, we thought the regime would become more like us through trade, scientific exchanges, diplomatic outreach, letting them in the WTO as a developing nation. That didn’t happen.
We greatly underestimated the degree…
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Taiwan’s Inauguration of President Tsai Ing-wen
"I would like to congratulate Dr. Tsai Ing-wen on the commencement of her second term as Taiwan’s President. Her re-election by a huge margin shows that she has earned the respect, admiration, and trust of the people on Taiwan. Her courage and vision in leading Taiwan’s vibrant democracy is an inspiration to the region and the world.
The United States has long considered Taiwan a force for good in the world and a reliable partner. Support for Taiwan in the United States is bipartisan and…
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Remarks by President Trump on Supporting our Nation’s Farmers, Ranchers, and Food Supply Chain - China
"We eliminated crushing Washington regulations, kept our promise on ethanol, and replaced and negotiated our badly broken trade deals to finally give you a fair and level playing field. When China unfairly targeted our farmers, we provided $28 million [billion] in direct assistance. And it came from China, not from our government. And you know that happened, and they paid for it. We didn’t pay. You know, they have this misconception; they like to say this as much as possible.
China devalued their currency in…
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Secretary Pompeo's Remarks on Taiwan’s Exclusion from the World Health Assembly
"The United States condemns Taiwan’s exclusion from the World Health Assembly. At a time when the world continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, we need multilateral institutions to deliver on their stated missions and to serve the interests of all member states, not to play politics while lives are at stake.
No one disputes that Taiwan has mounted one of the world’s most successful efforts to contain the pandemic to date, despite its close proximity to the original outbreak in Wuhan, China. This should…
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Secretary Pompeo's Remarks on the 25th Anniversary of the Panchen Lama’s Disappearance
"The Department of State has made the promotion and protection of religious freedom a priority, especially in China, where people of all faiths face severe repression and discrimination. As part of that mission, on May 17, we marked the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who has not appeared in public since the PRC government abducted him in 1995, at age six.
The Pachen Lama is one of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism with spiritual authority…
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Timor-Leste’s National Day
"On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as you celebrate your Restoration of Independence on May 20.
The United States and Timor-Leste enjoy a strong relationship bound by mutual respect and shared values and interests. As one of Asia’s newest democracies, Timor-Leste continues to be an inspiration to independent and democratic people everywhere. The United States is proud to partner with the people of Timor-Leste in your efforts to build a…
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Secretary Pompeo's Statement Regarding American Journalists Based in Hong Kong
It has recently come to my attention that the Chinese government has threatened to interfere with the work of American journalists in Hong Kong. These journalists are members of a free press, not propaganda cadres, and their valuable reporting informs Chinese citizens and the world. Any decision impinging on Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms as guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law would inevitably impact our assessment of One Country, Two Systems and the status of the territory."
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Readout of Secretary Esper's Phone Call With Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono
"On May 15, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper spoke with Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono by phone to advance their ongoing discussions on the response to COVID-19, security issues in the Indo-Pacific region, and continued cooperation to implement U.S. forces realignment initiatives."