Trump contradicts advisers on proposed trade limits to China while pushing aircraft deals
- Trump declares on Twitter that new regulations are ‘ridiculous’
- He is dismissive of ‘the national security excuse’ used to shut down trade with China, and vows that ‘America is open for business’
US President Donald Trump blasted his own administration’s proposed restrictions on trade with China on Tuesday, saying that national security could not be used as an “excuse” to make it difficult for foreign countries to buy American products.
The series of four tweets – which was temporarily deleted but restored soon after – was an apparent reference to reports over the weekend that the US government is considering whether to block General Electric from continuing to supply engines for a new Chinese passenger jet.
The Trump administration was reported to be considering halting sales to China of an aircraft engine produced in part by GE. Washington is also weighing restrictions on other components for Chinese commercial aircraft, such as flight control systems made by Honeywell International.
The possible crackdown on the sale of US parts to China’s aircraft industry is one element of a broader effort to limit the flow of technology to China that could help Beijing gain an economic and security edge over the US.
Trump’s tweets on Tuesday departed from his usual tough stance on China and underscored the difficulty and the dilemma he now faces. While his administration has made it a priority to contain China’s economic and military ambitions, the restrictions could cause further damage to an American economy that is deeply entwined with China.
“The United States cannot, & will not, become such a difficult place to deal with in terms of foreign countries buying our product, including for the always used National Security excuse, that our companies will be forced to leave to remain competitive,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
