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 With John Roberts of Fox News America Reports - China
"QUESTION: A Fox News alert now, the United States leveling perhaps the most serious charge a country can face, accusing China in the last hour and a bit of committing genocide and crimes against humanity in its repression of Uyghur Muslims. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement just a short time ago. He joins us now for an exclusive interview.
Mr. Secretary, good to have you with us. Let me just read if I could from your statement. You said, quote, “I have…
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Determination of the Secretary of State on Atrocities in Xinjiang
"The United States of America has led the world in holding the perpetrators of the most heinous human rights abuses accountable. From the Nuremberg Trials, to the creation of the Genocide Convention in 1948, to the declaration of ISIS’s recent genocide against the Yazidis, Christians, and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, Americans have given voice to those who have been silenced by evil, and stood with the living who cry out for truth, the rule of law, and justice. We do so not…
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Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Australian Prime Minister Morrison
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke yesterday with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. During the call, the Secretary and the Prime Minister affirmed the unbreakable bond that exists between the United States and Australia and committed to continue working together to deepen and broaden the U.S.-Australia Alliance. Secretary Pompeo thanked Prime Minister Morrison for his steadfast support in promoting our shared values of democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and our common strategic interests, even in the face of economic threats from the…
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Designating PRC and Hong Kong Officials After Widespread Pro-Democracy Arrests in Hong Kong
"Today, the United States is designating six PRC and Hong Kong officials in connection with the draconian National Security Law (NSL), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13936, “The President’s Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization.”
On January 6, Hong Kong authorities arrested more than 50 people in an appalling crackdown on pro-democracy politicians and activists who were trying to advance fair and open primary elections for Hong Kong’s Legislative Council. Thirteen former Legislative Council members, an American lawyer, and a former law professor were among…
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Ensuring a Transparent, Thorough Investigation of COVID-19’s Origin
"The United States has repeatedly called for a transparent and thorough investigation into the origin of COVID-19. Understanding the origin of this pandemic is essential for global public health, economic recovery, and international security.
To assist the vital work of the World Health Organization (WHO) investigative team that arrived in China this week, the United States government is today sharing new information concerning the activities inside China’s government laboratories in 2019.
In particular, we urge the WHO to press the government of China to address…
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Protecting and Preserving a Free and Open South China Sea
"The United States and all law-abiding nations share a deep interest in the preservation of a free and open South China Sea. All nations, regardless of military and economic power, should be free to enjoy the rights and freedoms guaranteed to them under international law, as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, without fear of coercion.
Today, the United States is taking additional actions to defend these rights and freedoms. Pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Department…
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Secretary Pompeo With Hugh Hewitt of The Hugh Hewitt Show - China and Taiwan
"QUESTION: Thank you. The Chinese Communist Party has a mouthpiece, the Global Times, which has a lead editorial today: China to respond to U.S. provocations in next 10 days, which concluded, and I want to quote, Mr. Secretary, “We would rather face a Taiwan Straits crisis, even a storm, in the next 10 days if Pompeo and his likes become more aggressive and provocative before leaving office. The crisis will teach Taiwan secessionists a lesson and nail Pompeo and his likes to the pillar of…
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Secretary Pompeo's Remarks on the Hoover Institution’s Pacific Century Podcast With Co-Hosts Michael Auslin and John Yoo - China
"MR AUSLIN: Mr. Secretary, thank you so much for joining us on the Pacific Century. We’d like to talk primarily about China today with you, and we know this has, of course, been a great focus of yours. A while ago you said it was the first thing you think about in the morning when you get up and the last thing you think about in the evening. You’ve had an extraordinarily productive set of policies related to China, but one of the responses that…
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Secretary Pomepo's Remarks at the Voice of America (VOA) Headquarters - China
"SECRETARY POMPEO: [...] When the Chinese Communist Party attempted to exploit the tragic death of George Floyd to claim their authoritarian system was somehow superior to ours, I issued a statement, which read in part: “During the best of times, the People’s Republic of China ruthlessly imposes communism. But amid the most difficult challenge, the United States secures freedom.”
There is no moral equivalence. This is a self-evident truth. [...]
VOA was rubber-stamping J-1 visas for foreign nationals, including some from communist China. We shouldn’t…
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Joint Statement on Hong Kong
"The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
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We, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and the United States Secretary of State, underscore our serious concern at the mass arrests of 55 politicians and activists in Hong Kong for subversion under the National Security Law.
The National Security Law is a clear breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and undermines the ‘One Country, Two…
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Secretary Pompeo's Remarks on the US-Taiwan Relationship
"Taiwan is a vibrant democracy and reliable partner of the United States, and yet for several decades the State Department has created complex internal restrictions to regulate our diplomats, servicemembers, and other officials’ interactions with their Taiwanese counterparts. The United States government took these actions unilaterally, in an attempt to appease the Communist regime in Beijing. No more.
Today I am announcing that I am lifting all of these self-imposed restrictions. Executive branch agencies should consider all “contact guidelines” regarding relations with Taiwan previously issued…
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Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Singaporean Foreign Minister Balakrishnan
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan reaffirmed the importance of U.S.-Singapore bilateral relations and discussed ways to expand our cooperation further on COVID-19, regional priorities, counterproliferation, and other issues of mutual interest."