Transcript for 'We will not stand down,' VP Pence warns China

From early in this administration. President tribe has made our relationship with China. And president G a priority. On April 6 of last year president trump welcome prison Agee to mar Largo. On November 8 of last year president trump travel to Beijing where China's leader welcomed him warmly. Over the course of the past two years our president has forged a strong personal relationship. With the president of the People's Republic of China and they worked closely on issues of common interest. Most importantly. The denuclearization. Of the Korean Peninsula. But I come before you today because the American people deserve to know. That as we speak Beijing is employing a whole of government approach. Using political economic. And military tools as well as propaganda to advance its influence and benefit its interest in the United States. Over the past seventeen years. China's GDP has grown nine fold. It's become the second largest economy in the world. Much of the success was driven by American investment. In China. And the Chinese Communist Party has also used an arsenal of policies. In consistent with free and fair trade. Including tariffs quotas currency manipulation. Forced technology transfer. Intellectual property theft and industrial. Subsidies that are handed out like candy to foreign investment. These policies have built Beijing's manufacturing base. At the expense of its competitors. Especially. The United States of America. Beijing is also using his power like never before. Chinese ships routinely patrol around this and talk of violence which are administered by Japan. And while China's leaders stood in the Rose Garden at the White House. In 2015. And said that his country had. And I quote no intention to militarized the South China Sea. Today. Beijing is deployed advanced anti ship and anti air missiles. Atop an archipelago of military bases constructed on artificial violence. China's aggression was on display this week. When a Chinese naval vessel came within 45. Yards. Of the USS Decatur as it conducted freedom of navigation. Operations in the South China Sea. Forcing our ship to quickly maneuvered to avoid collusion. Despite such reckless harassment. The United States navy will continue to fly. Sale and operate where ever international law allows and our national interest demand. We will not be intimidated. And we will not stand down.

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