“Decoding” President Trump's Indo-Pacific strategy

US Navy warships. Photo: India.com

In a meeting with reporters in the US on April 2, Mr. Alex Wong, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific, explained the concept of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy that President Donald Trump emphasized in his speech in Da Nang in November 2017.

According to Mr. Wong, the two main elements highlighted in the Trump administration’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific region are “free” and “open.” The US State Department official said that the meaning of “free” lies in the fact that countries in the Indo-Pacific region can pursue their own paths without being coerced.

Additionally, at the national level, the United States wants Indo-Pacific countries to enjoy greater freedom, including freedom of governance, fundamental rights, transparency, and anti-corruption.

Referring to the “expansion” aspect, Mr. Wong said that the US wants the Indo-Pacific region to be further expanded, first of all by sea and air. According to US officials, expanded maritime transport will play a vital role in the region. 50% of commercial goods pass through the Indo-Pacific, especially through the East Sea.

The Trump administration’s new Indo-Pacific strategy also includes an “expansion” aspect of logistics and infrastructure to encourage countries to better integrate into the region and grow their economies. The US wants to help the region develop appropriate infrastructure, truly integrate and grow its economy.

The “expansion” aspect of the Indo-Pacific strategy also aims to expand investment in the region. The US supports an open investment environment in the Indo-Pacific to pave the way for foreign direct investment. In addition, expanding free, fair, and reciprocal trade is something the US has been doing for decades and is supported by the Trump administration.

According to the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, South Asia, specifically India, plays an important role and brings benefits not only to the US but also to other countries in the region. Mr. Wong commented that India is a country that has developed in a free and open direction, according to which the US policy is to ensure that India can become a country with greater influence in the region.

According to Mr. Wong, not only is India actively participating in the development trend of the East Asia and Southeast Asia regions through the Southeast Asia Policy, but other countries are also implementing similar strategies such as South Korea's New Southern Policy, Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy or Australia's Foreign Policy.

The US believes that regional partners are looking to strengthen political, security and economic relations with countries, especially ASEAN nations.

At a meeting with reporters, Mr. Wong affirmed that the US has supported free trade, the principles of equality and reciprocity for decades. Two-way trade between the US and the Indo-Pacific region reaches 1.4 trillion USD per year and this figure is expected to continue to increase.