Trump ignores legal troubles at rally, says China’s market is ‘way down’ as trade war heats up
Washington and Beijing have been locked in escalating rounds of tit-for-tat tariffs
US President Donald Trump said China’s economy is no longer on a swift pace to be larger than the United States, a comment likely to stoke concerns in Beijing that his administration wants to contain its rise.
Speaking at a rally in West Virginia on Tuesday night, Trump noted that China’s market was “way down” even while saying he has “tremendous respect” for the country.
Trump addressed the crowd in a state where he remains deeply popular, touching on his favourite themes while ignoring the legal troubles swirling around his presidency hours after his former campaign chairman and former personal lawyer were convicted of federal crimes.
Trump said that various trade talks would take time, a remark that dampens hopes for a breakthrough as low-level negotiations between the US and China resume this week in Washington.
“When I came we were heading in a certain direction that was going to allow China to be bigger than us in a very short period of time,” Trump said.
“That’s not going to happen any more.”
“I want to be their friend. But we had to do things that we had to do.”