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China tells Donald Trump: we can help make America’s infrastructure great again

US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is told that Chinese firms are willing to take part in plans to improve American infrastructure

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Us President Donald Trump has pledged a major series of infrastructure works, but some Chinese officials are doubtful whether he can deliver. Photo: AP
China has offered to take part in US President Donald Trump’s US$1.5 trillion plan to repair and upgrade America’s infrastructure, saying it would complement Beijing’s own Belt and Road Initiative.

Yang Chuantang, party secretary of the Transport Ministry, made the remarks in Beijing at the ninth China-US Transportation Forum on Thursday.

“We are willing to work with the US side, under the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the US plan for rebuilding infrastructure,” said Yang.

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The forum was attended by US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who is the first cabinet member from the Trump administration to visit China since the countries started a heated tit-for-tat over trade. 

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Chao – who also met Yang Jiechi, one of the country’s most senior diplomats, and Premier Li Keqiang during her visit – did not make any reference to the recent trade conflicts between the two countries at the forum, nor did she respond to the offer for China to participate in Trump’s infrastructure plan.

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