We have the foundations of "a very, very solid deal with China", Donald Trump said a few hours before suspending most of the tariffs that the two countries have imposed on each other, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
"It's time for China to open up - and that's part of our deal. We will make China open up. I think that's the most exciting part", added the US president, who has been on a tour of the Middle East for several days, giving an interview to "Fox News" aboard Air Force One.
The 90-day pause in US and Chinese tariffs, announced last weekend by the two governments after talks in Geneva, takes effect today.
After imposing tariffs of 145 percent on Chinese products imported into the US and 125 percent on US goods imported into China, Washington and Beijing agreed to reduce them to 30 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
Trump added that he was open to the possibility of personally negotiating with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to agree on the final details of the trade agreement. "I mean, I'm not sure that would be necessary", the US president said.
"I've always had a good relationship with President Xi (Jinping), interrupted obviously because of COVID-19," the US president noted. "Other than that, I have always had a wonderful relationship (with the Chinese president), I have great respect for him, and we will see how this all works out".