Rex Tillerson Proposes 100-Year Strategic Partnership With India
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced a century-long strategic partnership with India to counter Chinese influence and promote a free Asia-Pacific region.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced a vision for a 100-year strategic partnership between the United States and India designed to promote a free and open Asia-Pacific region. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Tillerson described the two nations as the world's two greatest democracies and proposed a four-way regional anchor including Australia, India, Japan, and the United States to establish security and trade standards.
The announcement coincided with the opening of the Communist Party congress in Beijing, where President Xi Jinping sought to secure long-term control. Tillerson criticized China for acting less responsibly and undermining the rules-based international order, specifically citing provocative actions in the South China Sea.
While promoting the alliance, Tillerson urged India to reduce protectionist laws and open its borders to more regional and U.S. trade. The speech precedes a visit to New Delhi by Tillerson and a planned trip to Asia by President Donald Trump. Defense Secretary James N. Mattis supported the alignment, stating that the world's two greatest democracies should possess the two greatest militaries.
