The US president is now focused on cutting purchase deals with Beijing, similar to one he forged during his first term, and celebrating quick wins instead of addressing the root causes of the trade imbalances.

US President Donald Trump has dialled down his confrontational tone with China in an effort to secure a summit with counterpart Xi Jinping and a trade deal with the world’s second-largest economy, sources familiar with internal deliberations said.

Six months into his second term, Trump has softened his harsh campaign rhetoric that focused on the US’s massive trade deficit with China and resulting job losses. The warmer posture contrasts with his threats against other trading partners to ravage their economies with crushing tariffs.

Trump is now focused on cutting purchase deals with Beijing, similar to one he forged during his first term, and celebrating quick wins instead of addressing the root causes of the trade imbalances. China posted a record trade surplus in the first half of the year amid booming exports.

On Tuesday (Jul 15), the US president said he would be fighting China “in a very friendly fashion”.

In meetings with his staff, Trump is often the least hawkish voice in the room, some of the sources said.

Administration officials stressed that Trump has always liked Xi personally and pointed to moments in his first term when he nevertheless imposed sweeping restrictions on Huawei Technologies and tariffs on the majority of Chinese exports.

Source: Business Times

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