Trump May ‘Clarify’ Why The US Is Using The Term Indo-Pacific Instead Of Asia-Pacific

United States’ envoy to Japan has said that President Donald Trump will explain why he and other senior White House officials have begun referring to the Asia-Pacific as the “Indo-Pacific” by the end of his ongoing 12-day visit to five Asian nations, the South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday.

According to the daily’s report, ambassador William Hagerty said that Trump had discussed the Indo-Pacific “concept” with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in detail during the president’s two-day Japan visit. He added that it was too early to draw conclusions on the reasons behind its use of the term.

“Right now the president is here to listen, have conversations and talk about this concept and I think that will further clarify itself as he goes all the way through to the [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation] conference in Vietnam,” Hagerty said.

“I would expect more definition around that at the end of this trip,” he added.

National Security Adviser H R McMaster repeatedly used the term in a press briefing on Trump’s Asia tour. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson used the term some 15 times in a speech he delivered at a Washington DC-based think tank recently. US Commanders and other senior officials have also started using this term.

The use of this term, a departure from the language employed by previous administrations, comes at a time when the US, Japan, India and Australia are preparing the ground for the revival of the so-called ‘quad’.

The resumption of the quadrilateral dialogue, which was scrapped by Australia in 2007, comes amid China’s growing assertiveness and unilateralism in the region.

A senior White House official had on Monday defended the use the use of the term "Indo-Pacific" instead of "Asia Pacific", saying it captures the importance of the rise of India with which the US has strong and growing ties.

"It captures the importance of the maritime free commons that allow our security and our prosperity to continue," the official had said while responding to queries on the increasing use of the phrase "Indo-Pacific" by the Trump Administration.