Donald Trump has hit back at critics of his weekend trade deal with China, the US president saying it would bring down Chinese barriers to US goods “for the first time” and be a boon to farmers who had worried about a trade war.
Steven Mnuchin, Treasury secretary, said on Sunday the US was putting tariffs and its trade war with China “on hold” after Beijing agreed to do what it could to increase imports of US farm products and energy. The move prompted criticism the administration was too intent on cutting a quick deal and had given in too easily to Beijing.
Marco Rubio, the Republican senator, yesterday warned: “If we are desperate for a deal #China is going to kill us in negotiations.”