US President Donald Trump has said Washington has reset its relationship with China, claiming Beijing now “respects” the United States following trade pressure and military expansion. He also pointed to strengthened US influence in the Indo-Pacific and broader economic and energy gains under his administration…reports Asian Lite News
US President Donald Trump has said the United States has reset its relationship with China and strengthened its position in the Indo-Pacific through a combination of military expansion, trade pressure and what he described as renewed energy dominance.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday local time, Trump said his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping had gone “amazingly” and claimed that Beijing now viewed Washington differently compared with previous administrations.
“The relationship is very good,” Trump said. “We’re doing a lot of business with China now, but it’s not where they were ripping us off for years and years.”
Trump said his administration’s tariff and economic policies had helped reshape trade ties, arguing that China was now engaged in a more balanced commercial relationship with the United States.
“It’s now a very profitable business that we do with China, and they respect our country again,” he said.
He linked the improved ties to broader strategic and military developments, repeatedly highlighting defence expansion and modernisation as central to restoring US influence globally, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region where Washington has increased its military presence in recent years.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the administration was investing heavily in new military capabilities, including drones, missile defence systems and advanced aircraft production. He said the US was positioning itself to lead globally in emerging defence technologies.
“We’re going to lead the world in drones,” Hegseth said, while also praising Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget.
Hegseth added that the Pentagon had recorded what he described as “historic recruitment rates” for a second consecutive year, and said private defence manufacturers were expanding production due to government policy support and increased demand.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US economy remained “strong, secure and resilient” despite geopolitical tensions involving Iran and global energy markets.
He said business investment had increased significantly during Trump’s second term, citing growth in manufacturing activity, factory construction and capital spending.
“The stock market lives in the future,” Bessent said. “It is seeing on the other side of this conflict.”
Trump also emphasised what he called America’s “energy dominance strategy”, claiming expanded domestic oil and gas production had strengthened the country’s geopolitical position. He said the United States was now producing more oil than “Russia and Saudi Arabia combined”.
During the Cabinet meeting, China was mentioned only briefly, although officials repeatedly linked economic performance and defence expansion to wider global competition with Beijing and other major powers.
The comments come amid continued strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing over trade, technology, military influence and regional security in the Indo-Pacific, where both countries have expanded diplomatic and defence engagement.
