United States President Donald Trump said that he expects to reach a “fair trade agreement“ with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Reuters reported, reports News.bg.
He downplayed the possibility of tension or military conflict over Taiwan, although his top trade representative accused Beijing of “economic coercion“.
According to Trump, China has no intention of taking military action against Taiwan, but the issue will likely be discussed during the planned meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of an economic conference in South Korea next week.
Trade relations between the two The world's largest economies remain at loggerheads, with issues over tariffs, technology and market access continuing to create tension days before the summit. Trump made the remarks at the start of a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, where the two signed a strategic minerals deal aimed at reducing reliance on China.
His comments on Taiwan touch on one of the most sensitive aspects of US-China relations. Beijing has repeatedly urged Washington to change its rhetoric on the island's independence.
Trump also pledged to accelerate the delivery of nuclear submarines to Australia, stressing that the US has the "best military in the world". "China does not want to take that step," he said, adding: "We have the strongest military and no one will dare to challenge us. I believe we will achieve a stable and mutually beneficial trade relationship. deal.“
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer later took a more assertive stance, warning that the United States would respond to Beijing's "broader pattern of economic coercion" against companies investing in strategic sectors of the U.S. economy.
South Korean officials said China's sanctions on U.S.-linked units of Hanwha Ocean were threatening plans for shipbuilding cooperation between Seoul and Washington. "Attempted pressure will not stop the United States from rebuilding its shipbuilding industry and responding to China's aggressive actions," Greer said.
When asked if Washington would change its position on Taiwan independence as part of a potential deal with China, Trump responded evasively:
“We'll discuss a lot of topics - probably that, but I don't want to get into that right now. details.“
For her part, in Taipei, the head of the North American Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Liang-yu, said that communication between Taiwan and the United States is going smoothly and that US support for the island has been reaffirmed repeatedly since the beginning of the Trump administration.
“We will continue to closely monitor developments and maintain contact with the US side to ensure that our relations will steadily deepen and our interests will be protected“, she said.
Beijing continues to increase military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan, which it considers its territory, and does not rule out the possibility of using force to bring the island under its control.
The United States remains Taiwan's main ally and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations. However, Beijing regularly condemns any displays of support for Taipei by Washington.