Sun Jan 12 14:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Outgoing National Security Adviser Urges Continuity in Indo-Pacific Strategy Despite Incoming Trump Administration

**WASHINGTON** – As the Biden administration prepares to hand over power, outgoing National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is urging the incoming Trump administration to maintain the current Indo-Pacific strategy focused on strengthening alliances to counter China and North Korea. Sullivan highlighted the significant progress made under President Biden, including enhanced cooperation within the Quad (India, Australia, Japan), the AUKUS pact (US, UK, Australia), and strengthened trilateral relationships with Japan and South Korea. He warned that deviating from this approach would pose significant risks.

While acknowledging the lack of progress on North Korean denuclearization and the increasingly close relationship between North Korea and Russia, Sullivan emphasized the importance of continued support for Ukraine, arguing that China is closely watching the situation. He expressed confidence that the Biden administration has created a strong foundation for the next administration to build upon.

However, the incoming Trump administration presents uncertainties. President-elect Trump’s appointments of Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Representative Mike Waltz as potential National Security Advisor, both considered China hawks, offer a mixed signal. Waltz’s plan to replace numerous national security staffers with Trump loyalists raises concerns about potential policy shifts.

Experts warn of potential disruptions. Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, anticipates a return to a more transactional approach to alliances, potentially prioritizing bilateral relationships over multilateral ones. Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, suggests a possible de-emphasis on trilateral partnerships like the US-Japan-South Korea alliance, and uncertainty regarding the level of confrontation with China beyond economic issues.

A significant shift is expected in trade policy. Trump is expected to reverse the Biden administration’s efforts to revitalize trade with the region, including likely scrapping the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), potentially resorting to protectionist measures and tariffs against both adversaries and allies. This would mark a sharp reversal from the Biden administration’s attempt to counter China’s economic influence. The overall impact of these potential shifts on regional stability and the US’s standing in the Indo-Pacific remains to be seen.

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