Posted on 08/01/2018 10:48:25 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
On Monday at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo led a team of Cabinet-level officials to unveil the economic piece of the administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy. While he didn’t actually call out China by name, the entire scheme is meant to show the countries of East and Southeast Asia they have an alternative to what many see as China’s predatory debt approach to energy, infrastructure and digital economy investment, which is already resulting in backlash in countries including Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Critics may call the plan a drop in the bucket compared with the multitrillion Chinese investment program, but it’s just a start. The Trump administration is betting that Asian countries are thirsting for ways to develop their economies without Chinese strings attached.
“I am here to say emphatically that the Trump administration is expanding our economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific,” Pompeo said in his speech. His basic pitch is that American private investment is more reliable, more trustworthy and can reinforce the rules-based order in Asia that Beijing is seeking to supplant.
“Thanks to [our] history of economic and commercial engagement, America’s relationships throughout the Indo-Pacific today are characterized by mutual trust and respect,” Pompeo said. “American friendship is welcomed, and American businesses are recognized for their ingenuity, reliability and honesty.”
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and other top administration officials will participate in this week’s business forum at the chamber with industry leaders. Pompeo will travel to Singapore and Indonesia in part to showcase the new initiative.
The administration is unveiling a suite programs by the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development meant to encourage public-private partnerships to help countries develop digital infrastructure, regulatory policies and cybersecurity.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Real Investment and not a Communist takeover ?
A nice 25% tariff on China will do the trick. Everyone will find someone else to do business with. And China will kick their Yuan down 25%. Then we just move it up to 50%. Our debt goes down. Other countries start producing products as well as several products made here.
Musk puts his confidence in China. He knows China will win in the long term.
Musk puts his confidence in China.
..
China is already the largest electrical vehicle market in the world. That’s why Tesla is going to produce there.
No. musk is merely looking for more government handouts.
*PING* This effort on the part of Secretary Pompeo to offer Southeast Asian countries an alternative to Chinese investment plus the latest declaration on Crimea, you can disagree with personally — but they do not seem “tripolar” minded to me. Secretary Mattis also not interested in “shared” spheres of influence under current conditions.
Trade war with China and sanctions against Russia will proceed until the regimes of these two places adjust their malign behavior.
Not like Mattis has a role in making the political decision to cooperate in reconstruction of Syria.
However he did such a great job of smashing Raqqa and leaving it as rubble that the locals resent us- this might be a joint project worth undertaking
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