Donald Trump says Tiananmen Square-style crackdown in Hong Kong would harm trade talks
- President’s comments came as Washington and Beijing look to revive talks aimed at ending their trade war
- Sunday’s massive rally in Hong Kong marked an 11th consecutive weekend of unrest
US President Donald Trump has warned that trade talks with China would be hampered if Beijing uses violent means to crack down on the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.
“No, I think it would be very hard to deal if they do violence. If it’s another Tiananmen Square … I think it’s a very hard thing to do if there’s violence,” Trump told reporters in New Jersey, referring to the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing in 1989.
“So I hope – because I think we’re going to end up doing a very good deal. And I think China, by the way, needs a deal much more than we do.”
The protests have included violent clashes, which Beijing said showed “sign of terrorism”, and paramilitary troops were mobilised to Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong.
Trump said that if a Tiananmen Square-style crackdown happened in Hong Kong, “there’d be tremendous political sentiment not to do something”, referring to trade negotiations between China and the United States.