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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Press Briefing by Secretary Mattis
"As far as the situation with Korea, it is firmly in the diplomatic lane. We have seen much stronger diplomatic action, for example, the last three United Nations Security Council resolutions — unanimous. And how often do you see France and Russia; PRC, China; and the United States, Great Britain all voting — and other countries — all voting unanimously? I think that makes it very clear this is firmly in the diplomatic lane."
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Remarks by Vice President Pence and Prime Minister Abe of Japan in Joint Statements
"The United States-Japan alliance is the cornerstone of peace, prosperity, and freedom in the Indo-Pacific. And, Mr. Prime Minister, as we discussed today, our nations are taking bold steps to strengthen our alliance and deepen our friendship even further. To enhance our bilateral economic ties, last April, Deputy Prime Minister Aso and I were pleased, at your and the President’s direction, to launch the U.S.-Japan Economic Dialogue. And it was my honor to host Deputy Prime Minister Aso at the White House last October to…
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Remarks by Vice President Pence and Prime Minister Abe of Japan Before Bilateral Meeting
"Mr. Prime Minister, I say to you and I say to all the people of Japan: On behalf of President Trump, the United States is with you in this challenge, and we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Japan, the people of South Korea, and our allies and partners across the region until we achieve the global objective of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and we end the provocations and threats that North Korea has presented to this region and to…
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Press Gaggle by Vice President Pence
"Well, first and foremost, President Trump asked me to travel to the region for several reasons. Number one, to strengthen the relationship between the United States and our allies in Japan and South Korea. We’ll be meeting in the coming days with Prime Minister Abe, with President Moon, and we’ll be talking about the strength of our alliance. And I look forward to reinforcing the important priority that President Trump and the United States places on the relationship with these two nations. Secondly, we’ll collectively…
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Secretary Mattis Remarks on The National Defense Strategy and the Nuclear Posture Review
"Nuclear delivery system development over the last eight years shows numerous advances by Russia, China, and North Korea versus the near absence of such activity by the United States, with competitors and adversaries’ developing 34 new systems as compared to only one for the U.S.—the F-35 aircraft."
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Remarks by Secretary Mattis and Korean Defense Minister Han
"The United States stands by its commitments and we stand with our ally, the South Korean people. Our alliance is a testament to mutual commitment and respect and it is a linchpin of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. In cooperation with all our allies and partners, the United States seeks to ensure a peaceful, secure and free Asia-Pacific region. Our warm, respectful and mutual supporting relationship shows what democracies can accomplish when guided by a spirit of collaboration in defense of peace and…
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Remarks by President Trump in Meeting with North Korean Defectors
"We have a very special group of people with us today. These are escapees from North Korea. There have been many of them over the last year, and there seems to be more and more. It’s a tough place to live, and people aren’t liking it. There’s great danger, great risk. Seong-ho was with us the other night at the State of the Union Address, and really made an incredible impression on me and on everybody else, both on television and in that magnificent room…
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President Trump's Call with Japanese Prime Minister Abe
"President Donald J. Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. President Trump thanked Prime Minister Abe for Japan’s efforts to maintain international pressure on North Korea, including recent efforts to clamp down on North Korea’s attempts to circumvent sanctions in the waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula. Both leaders agreed on the need to intensify the international maximum pressure campaign to denuclearize North Korea. The two leaders discussed the pending relocation of a United States Marine base on Okinawa and discussed ways to…
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President Trump's Call with Korean President Moon
"President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea to wish him and the Korean people a successful Winter Olympic Games. The two leaders discussed the importance of improving the human rights situation in North Korea and underscored their commitment to work together on this issue. President Trump also reiterated his commitment to addressing the trade imbalance between the two countries."
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USTR Lighthizer Joint Statement with Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Ciobo
"Given the importance of the digital economy to both Australia and the United States, we agree to intensify cooperation to support the growth of digital trade between our countries, ensure an open, free and secure Internet, and advocate the liberalization and facilitation of global digital trade. We emphasize the importance of ensuring that our digital policy represents the highest standards for the constantly evolving commercial reality of digital trade. We particularly seek to ensure that our workers and small and medium-sized enterprises can succeed in…
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President Trump's Remarks During the State of the Union 2018 - North Korea and Human Rights
"But no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea. North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland. We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening. Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation. I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position. We need only look at the depraved character of the…
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U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Affirmative Preliminary Antidumping Duty Determinations on Low Melt Polyster Staple Fiber from Korea and Taiwan
"Today [January 29, 2018], U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) investigations of imports of low melt polyester staple fiber from Korea and Taiwan. [...] The Commerce Department preliminarily determined that exporters from Korea and Taiwan have sold low melt polyester staple fiber in the United States at 0.00 to 16.48 percent and 52.00 percent less than fair value, respectively. As a result of today’s decision, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to…
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Secretary Mattis Remarks with South Korea Minister of Defense Song on North Korea
"The Kim regime [in North Korea] is a threat to the entire world. It's an international problem that requires an international solution. Our response to this threat remains diplomacy-led, backed up with military options available to ensure that our diplomats are understood to be speaking from a position of strength. And, Minister Song, I want to praise your nation's [South Korea] steadfast action, upholding the United Nations sanctions at sea. The Republic of Korea has impounded two ships that were found violating the United Nations…
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ROK-US Defense Ministerial Meeting
"Secretary Mattis reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to the ROK, including its strong extended deterrence commitment, and stressed that any North Korean attack on the United States, its territories or its allies will be met with an effective and overwhelming response. Secretary Mattis and [South Korean] Minister [of National Defense] Song [Young-moo] welcomed the resumed inter-Korean dialogue, which has resulted in North Korea’s participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Both sides agreed to closely cooperate to assure a safe and peaceful Winter Olympics. Both…
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Secretary Mattis Meeting with Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Lich
"Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis met with Vietnam Minister of National Defense Ngo Xuan Lich during an official visit to Vietnam on January 25, 2018. This is the sixth visit to Vietnam by a United States Secretary of Defense and follows Defense Minister Lich's official visit to Washington, D.C., in August 2017. [...] Secretary Mattis highlighted the 2018 National Defense Strategy, which reaffirms the United States' commitment to work with partners such as Vietnam to sustain the rules-based order in a free and open…
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Media Availability with Secretary Mattis en route to Hawaii - North and South Korea
"The defense of South Korea is a treaty alliance with us. There is not a peace treaty. There is only an armistice right now. So, from the day the fight -- fighting ended in 1953, there's been military forces along the -- what we call the Demilitarized Zone -- all along the southern side of that. And, numerous times, North Korea has violated that over the years, and out in the waters, and even against airliners -- civilian airliners, that sort of thing. So those…
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Media Availability with Secretary Mattis en route to Hawaii - Vietnam
"This is the normal coordination, collaboration, consultation, as we work out a relationship with Vietnam, and leaving things in the past as our starting point. We're still working on removing, mediating the effects of the war. We signed, two days ago, a memorandum of intent to start addressing the Bien Hoa Air Base ground contamination. So, we're dealing with those things in respect to the past, but it is definitely a forward-looking -- (inaudible) -- relationship, military-to-military relationship, going -- you know, I met with…
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Media Availability by Secretary Mattis En Route to Vietnam
"On our way now into Vietnam. And I think that as you look at many of the freedom of navigation issues in the South China Sea, if you look at the geography of the archipelago of Indonesia and then you just go up the map a little ways -- I'm just going to pull your things off of there -- and you look at how here is the South China Sea and you look at Vietnam's coast, you can understand why many of the freedom…
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Intelligence Beyond 2018: A Conversation with [Then] CIA Director Mike Pompeo
"We should remember we have partners there that are working on this diligently as well — the South Koreans themselves, the Japanese. We have partners throughout the region that share our understanding that this is [North Korea's nuclear weapon capacity] a global threat. We often here in the States talk about the threat here. This is a threat to the whole world."
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Secretary Mattis Meeting with Indonesian Minister of Defense Ryamizard
"Secretary of Defense James Mattis met today with Indonesian Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu in Jakarta, their third meeting since Mattis was sworn in a year ago. The two leaders discussed the security situation in the region, to include North Korea, the South China Sea and North Natuna Sea, ISIS, and the Rohingya refugee crisis. Mattis noted the importance of the US-Indonesia partnership, recognizing that the two are like-minded partners with diverse populations who share a commitment to democracy, peace, and prosperity. He noted that…