SHANGHAI: US President Donald Trump has said he does not blame China for the “unfair” trade relationship between the countries, despite long railing against the economic imbalance.
Speaking in Beijing, he gave China “credit” for working to benefit its citizens by taking advantage of the US. He spoke alongside China’s president Xi Jinping on Thursday, as the US leader continued his tour through Asia.
The pair also signed $250bn (£190bn) worth of business deals. However, some of the agreements are non-binding, and it was not immediately clear how many represent new or final contracts.
The US president, who is visiting Beijing as part of a 12-day Asian trip, has long decried his country’s trade deficit with China.
The total trade relationship between the pair was worth $648bn last year, but trade was heavily skewed in China’s favour with the US amassing a deficit of $310bn.
While still characterising the relationship as “very unfair” and “one-sided”, Trump said on Thursday that China was not at fault, instead blaming previous US administrations.
“I don’t blame China. After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country for the sake of its citizens?” he said during a signing ceremony for the business deals.
