Washington DC:
The incoming Trump administration in the United States will reinforce President Joe Biden’s Indo-Pacific strategy, especially while dealing with China and strengthening ties with India. Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor (NSA) choice, Mike Waltz, has noted that China poses a long-term strategic challenge to America, and India is a key partner for the US in this competition.
Speaking at an event titled “Passing the Baton 2025: Securing America’s Future in the Era of Strategic Competition” at the US Institute of Peace in Washington DC on Tuesday, Waltz also touched upon issues of regional alliances, defence, and trade. His predecessor Jake Sullivan, Biden administration’s NSA also attended the event.
Stance On India
Mike Waltz, the former co-chair of the US-India Caucus, identified India as a “critical partner” for the United States in the future, especially in efforts to counter China’s rise.
The incoming NSA’s remarks came after Sullivan noted the strong support the US-India Congressional Caucus enjoys in India. Sullivan, who had recently visited India, told the audience that Waltz is very popular there.
“I was just in India last week. They love you there as a co-chair of the India Caucus. They love the India Caucus, so they’re excited to have you come on board. I told them I could be the chair of the India Spouses Caucus in Congress going forward. They were a little less than that, but we’ll do our best,” Sullivan said
Stance On China
Mike Waltz highlighted the Trump administration’s strategy while dealing with China called Asia’s largest economy the “greatest adversary” of the United States. He also acknowledged the challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and said that the US will work to avoid conflict in Bejing despite tensions as China “still needs US markets.”
“The President-elect firmly believes we can avoid conflict with the Chinese Communist Party because they need our markets. We are going to use the leverage in a way that’s in line that we have that’s in line with our national security while we still can,” he said.
Waltz said that Trump’s team will continue policies like AUKUS and the Quad, which have been established under the Biden administration. He also expressed concerns over Taiwan, particularly the $20 billion backlog of US arms sales, which will be a key focus of the new administration’s China strategy.
Sullivan, meanwhile, stressed that the US can’t take its “eyes off the ball from the long-term strategic competition with China.”
“We have not faced a challenge like that in a very long time, perhaps ever. We have to stay focused on investing at home, rallying our allies and pushing back against China’s unfair economic tactics and aggressive measures in places like the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits,” he said.
Acknowledging the need to reinforce regional alliances, including trilateral dialogues between South Korea, Japan, and the US, and between Japan, the US, and the Philippines, Waltz affirmed the Biden administration’s initiatives in this regard will continue to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
