Trump vows to end dependency on Chinese manufacturing, supply chains on re-election

Further intensifying the months-long trade war between the United States and China, Trump has now promised to entirely end the country’s dependence on the Asian superpower upon his reelection. While ramping up his reelection campaign just a few months before the November election, Trump talked about diverting the critical supplies ‘home’ during his speech at the 2020 Council for National policy meeting in Washington on Friday, August 21. 

"We'll fully restore America's manufacturing independence, bring home our critical supply chains and permanently end our reliance on China," agency sources quoted Trump. 

This comes just a day after Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden said that if he acquires the White House in 2020 US presidential race, he would ensure that American supply chains no longer rely on China during Democratic Convention on Thursday, August 20. In the same address on Friday, Trump also mounted attacked on Biden and said that if he wins, China will 'own' the United States.

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"It's time to reject the anger and the hate of the Democrat Party. We have the biggest election coming up of our lifetime. No party can lead American that spends so much time tearing down America,” Trump said

"China was never mentioned in any way, shape, or form. China will own our country if he gets elected. They will own our country and we're not going to let that happen. You've seen the intelligence reports. China very much wants Joe Biden to win. That would be very insulting if they wanted me to win. I don't think so,” he added. 

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Pompeo has called to cut ties with Chinese firms

Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo too called for American firms to cut all ties with Chinese companies, including Alibaba among others, under the government’s ‘Clean network’ programme. But Jack Ma's Alibaba has taken a step towards truce by stating that it ‘supports American brands’. 

Alibaba’s chief executive Daniel Zhang has been quoted stating that the Chinese e-commerce gainst's policies aim at supporting US brands, retailers, small businesses, and even farmers. 

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Meanwhile, Trump has even threatened to impose tariffs on American firms that have rejected government orders on shifting jobs from overseas back to the homeland. Meanwhile, Alibaba's show of ‘support’ comes after the tech giant beat quarterly revenue and profit forecast. 

Amid tense bilateral relations, Chinese Commerce Ministry on August 20 said China and the United States have agreed to hold trade talks “in the coming days” to evaluate the progress of their 'Phase one' deal. 

The US-China deal that went on floor in February this year involved China’s commitment to boost the purchase of American goods including agricultural and manufactured products, energy, and services as per earlier reports.

(With agency inputs)

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