Trump: Russia and China ‘rival powers’ in new security plan
US President Donald Trump has outlined his new national security strategy, labelling China and Russia the primary threats to US economic dominance.
His speech - which was based on his platform of "America First" - attacked the "failures" of past foreign policy.
He criticised Pakistan and North Korea, and how previous administrations approached other world powers.
The US faces a new era of competition, the US president said at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington.
Russia and China are "rival powers", he said, but the US must attempt to build a "great partnership with them".
The document itself, published before the speech, used harsher language to criticise China and Russia, calling them "revisionist powers".
Mr Trump described "four pillars" to his new National Security Strategy, but made no mention of human rights or climate change, his critics noted.
The four themes are protecting the homeland, promoting American prosperity, demonstrating peace through strength and advancing American influence.
The 68-page document, which White House officials began work on 11 months ago, suggests a return to Mr Trump's campaign promises.
It explicitly states that "the United States will no longer turn a blind eye to violations, cheating or economic aggression".
Previous American leaders had "drifted" and "lost sight of America's destiny" he said standing before a backdrop of American flags.
"Now less than one year later I am proud to report that the entire world has heard the news and has seen the signs," he said.
"America is coming back and America is coming back strong."
He named the US withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal among his successes in office.Mr Trump also pointed to cyber-hacking as an emerging threat and criticised North Korea, Pakistan, and the Iran nuclear deal.
The new policy stresses economic security but does not recognise climate change as a national security threat.
His predecessor Barack Obama in 2015 declared climate change an "urgent and growing threat to our national security".
Source: BBC NEWS
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