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Donald Trump tells Davos he is hopeful about US-China ties as he warns on tariffs
American leader touts ‘very good’ relationship with Xi Jinping amid ‘massive’ trade deficits with Beijing
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In his first speech at the World Economic Forum of his second term, US President Donald Trump voiced optimism about Sino-American relations while warning of tariffs on companies that do not manufacture stateside.
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Addressing the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, via video from the White House on Thursday, Trump described a “very good” relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying their countries needed only to make the trade relationship “fair”, not “phenomenal”.
He criticised Washington’s “massive” trade deficits with Beijing – America’s second-largest trading partner after Mexico – and blamed his predecessor Joe Biden, for letting the situation “get out of hand”.
“It’s just an unfair relationship and we have to make it just fair,” Trump said of China. “We don’t have to make it phenomenal. We have to make it a fair relationship. Right now, it’s not a fair relationship.”
“We look forward to doing very well with China and getting along with China,” he added.
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In an interview with Fox News, Trump was asked whether he could make a deal with China over trade practices and replied “I can do that”.
“We have one very big power over China, and that’s tariffs, and they don’t want them, and I’d rather not have to use it,” Trump said.
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