The White House released a 10-page document on Wednesday outlining the Trump administration’s strategy from 2018 to counter China, highlighting India’s role as a new ally in Asia.
The document contains few surprises and outlines plans to support allies and boost the economic and counterintelligence efforts of neighboring states.
But US cooperation with India plays a prominent role in the assessment.
“A strong India, in collaboration with like-minded countries, would counterbalance China,” it says.
“China is seeking to dissolve US alliances and partnerships in the region. China will exploit vacuum and opportunities created by these diminished bonds. “
The White House National Security Council report said the US “[a]im to create a four-sided security framework with India, Japan, Australia and the United States as the main hubs. “
The Trump White House released the document a week before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. Critics accuse Biden of having been historically naive during China’s rise, especially when it comes to trade policy.
President Trump initially cultivated a warm personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but the bond soured from a trade war aimed at forcing a deal to reform China’s economic policy. Last year, Trump approved sanctions against Chinese officials for eliminating Hong Kong’s political autonomy and for mistreating Uyghur Muslim minorities. He also pledged to ‘disconnect’ the US and China economically in response to misguidance in early data on COVID-19.
Unlike Trump as president-elect, Biden has not spoken to the president of Taiwan since he won the election.
Trump visited India in February and hosted a “Howdy, Modi!” meeting in Houston with 50,000 Indian Americans welcoming visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The strategy paper says the US will try “[a]accelerate the rise of India and its ability to serve as a network provider of security and a major defense partner; to strengthen a lasting strategic partnership with India, supported by a strong Indian military capable of working effectively with the United States and our partners in the region to address shared interests. “
The document says that the US “[p]artner with India on cyber and space security and maritime domain awareness [and] [e]xpand intelligence sharing and analytical exchanges between the US and India. “
The vision for boosting India also includes: “[w]orc[ing] with India and Japan to help fund projects that improve regional connectivity between India and countries in the region. “
The strategy, while outdated, emphasizes other traditional American priorities, such as protecting Taiwan’s de facto independence from China and convincing North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Since the document was drafted, the Trump administration has conducted a largely successful campaign to discourage allies from using the Chinese telecom company Huawei for 5G infrastructure over espionage concerns.
The document says that the US “[e]Enable Taiwan to develop an effective asymmetric defense strategy and capabilities that ensure its security, freedom from coercion, resilience and the ability to engage China on its own terms. “