The singling out of China and Russia as "revisionist powers" also comes despite Mr Trump's own attempts to build strong relations Chinese President Xi Jinping.
A senior administration official said Russia and China were attempting to revise the global status quo - Russia in Europe with its military incursions into Ukraine and Georgia, and China in Asia by its aggression in the South China Sea.
Mr Xiaoming Xue, PhD candidate for International Relations, discussed Trump's strategy with Mandarin audience.
