Donald Trump hints on ending trade relationship with China

U.S President Donald Trump on Thursday said he does not want to talk to his Chinese counterpart, while hinting on ending the world’s largest trading relationship, amid rising tensions about the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking in an interview with Fox Business Network, the US President said he has a “very good relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but “right now, he doesn’t want to speak to him.”

“There are many things we could do, we could cut off the whole relationship.

”I am very disappointed in Beijing for its failure to stop the virus at the source.

“It was either stupidity, incompetence or it was deliberate,” he added.

 

He also reiterated he was not interested in reopening talks on the phase-one trade deal agreed with Beijing earlier this year, which had served as a ceasefire in a brewing trade war.

He further stated that the Chinese Government has been making attempts to steal U.S. research on coronavirus vaccines and treatments.

According to him, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Wednesday had alerted that hackers linked to the Chinese government were targeting U.S. organisations working on a virus response.

Speaking also, Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, called on the Chinese Government to cease the malicious activity of trying to hack the US organizations working on a virus response.

He said “The United States condemns attempts by cyber actors and non-traditional collectors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to steal U.S. intellectual property and data related to COVID-19 research.

“The PRC’s behavior in cyberspace is an extension of its counterproductive actions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He also accused the Chinese Government of continuing to silence scientists, journalists, and citizens, while spreading disinformation, which has exacerbated the dangers of this health crisis.