Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke at a forum on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon, accusing the Chinese Communist Party of not abiding by the U.S.-China trade agreement. He vowed that if he returns to the White House, he will pressure the Chinese leadership on this issue.
“My first call (upon re-election) will be to President Xi Jinping, telling him he must fulfill the agreement, … to purchase $50 billion worth of American agricultural products. I guarantee he will buy, 100% will buy.”
During his presidency, Trump signed the “Phase One Trade Agreement” with China in early 2020. Under the agreement, the U.S. lowered some tariffs in exchange for China increasing purchases of U.S. exports, including $50 billion worth of agricultural products. However, China’s actual purchase volume fell far short of the target.
According to data from the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, as of December 2021, China’s imports of American goods and services were less than 60% of the agreement, including food, energy, and manufactured goods.
Trump also criticized current President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ administration for failing to implement the signed agreements.
The forum was organized by the Protecting America Initiative, focusing on ways to protect America from Chinese infringement, including banning foreign purchases of American farmland, ensuring food security, and protecting American intellectual property.
The non-profit organization specifically focuses on the potential risks that the Chinese agricultural system poses to the U.S. The organization is led by Richard Grenell, former Acting Director of National Intelligence during the Trump administration, and Lee Zeldin, a federal congressman from New York.
The Chinese Communist Party, ruling the world’s second-largest economy, has been a prime target for both Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the race for the White House. Both candidates have vowed to take a tough stance against China.
Trump has previously stated he would levy tariffs of 60% or higher on China if elected and threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese cars produced in Mexico to circumvent sanctions. During his presidency, Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese goods worth over $300 billion. The Biden administration has largely maintained the tariff policies of the Trump administration.
This year, the Biden administration has taken a series of measures to increase pressure on China, including imposing new tariffs on Chinese goods such as electric cars, planning to strengthen regulations to restrict the surge in low-cost Chinese goods through the de minimis exemption, and curbing imports of steel and aluminum products from China and other countries through Mexico.
It is widely believed that Harris will follow Biden’s foreign policy approach, maintaining communication with Beijing, emphasizing areas where the two countries can cooperate while limiting China’s access to cutting-edge American technology to prevent threats to U.S. national security and maintain U.S. competitiveness.
Later that day, Trump held a rally in Indiana, while Harris is set to visit Pennsylvania again on Wednesday.
Pennsylvania is one of the key battleground states in the race for the White House. In 2016, Trump won the state by less than 1%. Four years later, Biden secured a 1% advantage in the state and entered the White House.
According to a recent poll released by The Washington Post last Thursday, Trump and Harris are neck and neck in the state, with Harris receiving support from 48% of potential voters and registered voters, while Trump received 47% support.
(This article references Bloomberg’s related reports)