President Trump has told China’s president that he’s disappointed in the growing U.S. trade deficit with Beijing and warned that the imbalance is “not sustainable.”
In a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, Mr. Trump “expressed disappointment that the United States’ trade deficit with China has continued to grow,” the White House said.
During Mr. Trump’s first year in office, the U.S. trade deficit with China grew by about 7 percent.
Mr. Trump campaigned on getting tougher with China on trade but also has sought Beijing’s help in pressuring North Korea to scale back its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. The White House said both leaders “acknowledged the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue and expressed hope that it might prompt a change in North Korea’s destructive behavior.”
“President Trump committed to sustain the United States-led global campaign of maximum pressure to compel North Korea to commit to denuclearization,” the statement said.
During the campaign, Mr. Trump vowed to label China as a currency manipulator, a step he hasn’t taken.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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