But Trump said his trade stance is affected by how much he needs China’s help on North Korea
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is unhappy with recent trade negotiations between his administration and the Chinese government but left open the possibility of progress on an issue he has put at the center of his agenda.
“China has made a fortune,” Trump told reporters. “I’m not satisfied but we have a long way to go.”
At the same time, the president suggested his stance on trade with China is affected by how much the U. S. needs Beijing’s help dealing with North Korea as a planned June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un approaches.
« When I think of trade with China, I’m also thinking about what they’re doing to help us with peace with North Korea, » he said. « That’s a very important element. »
Emissaries from the Trump administration, led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U. S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, have negotiated with the Chinese government in recent weeks in an effort to reset the trade relationship between the two nations, marked most significantly by the hefty trade deficit the U. S. runs with China annually.
The Trump administration has backed off of recent threats to impose tariffs on a range of Chinese goods as the talks continue. Those threats prompted Beijing to threaten retaliatory penalties and stoked fears of a trade war.
