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Trump says could 'decouple' and not do business with China

WION Web Team
Washington, DC, United States of AmericaUpdated: Aug 23, 2020, 06:17 AM IST
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Photograph:(Reuters)

Story highlights

Trump entered into a high-stakes trade war with China before reaching a partial Phase 1 trade deal in January. Trump has since shut the door on Phase 2 negotiations, saying he was unhappy with Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

US President Donald Trump has raised the possibility of decoupling the American economy from China -- still a major purchaser of their goods.

In a video excerpt from a Fox News interview to be aired on Sunday, Trump initially said “we don’t have to” do business with China, and then later said about decoupling: “Well it’s something that if they don’t treat us right I would certainly, I would certainly do that.”

Trump entered into a high-stakes trade war with China before reaching a partial Phase 1 trade deal in January. Trump has since shut the door on Phase 2 negotiations, saying he was unhappy with Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

In June, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said a decoupling of the American and Chinese economies will result if the companies are not allowed to compete on a fair and level basis in China’s economy.