US top diplomat attacks China on trade, tariffs, rejects looming recession
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has attacked China over trade and human rights during a speech in his home state of Kansas, admitting to local farmers there will be “bumps in the road” as Washington engages Beijing in a persisting trade war.
The former Wichita congressman made the remarks during a speech at Kansas State University on Friday, further rejecting growing concerns that the increasingly aggressive tariffs imposed on China by US President Donald Trump would push the country toward a recession.
In an interview with two local newspapers the top US diplomat also expressed confidence in the American diplomacy and economy, saying: "The American economy is strong. We are confident. We will get this right."
He further proclaimed, "Recession risk is when America is weak. When America allows China to walk over us and treat us horribly. That's what's happened for 20 years. And I think Kansans get that. There'll be some bumps in the road."
Pompeo also pointed out during the interview that Kansas farmers have been seeing the trade challenge in China for decades, adding that as a congressman, he heard from farmers unable to sell their crops. He then went on to accuse China of stealing American technology.
"And previous administrations frankly just ignored it,” Pompeo further alleged. “President Trump's not ignoring it. We're going to get a set of fair reciprocal trading arrangements with China. We're going to grow the American economy because we'll get access to those markets."
The development came after China stopped purchasing US agricultural products a month ago, but the tariffs have been wearing on the agricultural industry for months.
This is while China announced Thursday that trade negotiations aimed at ending a protracted tariff war with the United States are scheduled to resume in Washington next month.
China’s Ministry of Commerce made the announcement in a statement , adding that US and Chinese trade negotiators had earlier in the day held a phone conversation and agreed to meet “in early October” for another round of talks.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He spoke with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on the phone and both parties agreed to hold what will be the thirteenth round of high-level economic talks in Washington at the beginning of next month, according to the statement.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said the officials agreed to “work together and take practical actions to create favorable conditions for consultations.”
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