Joe Biden says, Trump’s phase one trade deal with China is 'failing badly'

On August 5, US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden launched an attack on Trump’s handling of US-China relationship, saying, Republican's trade deal with Chinese counterpart was "failing badly”. Criticizing Trump’s rhetoric of being “tough” with China, Biden cited Commerce Department data with a widening trade deficit of up to 5 percent (approx. 428.4 billion), noting, that China mislaid its commitment of purchasing US goods. In a statement to a news agency, Biden said Trump’s 'phase one' trade deal had unfurled in disappointment.  

On 23 July the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, delivered a speech on China at the Richard Nixon library declaring that the era of US-China engagement was “over”. Speaking at a live-streamed press conference, Pompeo said, “If we want to have a free 21st century and not the Chinese century of which Xi Jinping dreams, the old paradigm of blind engagement with China simply won’t get it done. We must not continue it and we must not return to it.” While Trump’s campaign relies on anti-China sentiment as most potent strategies against Biden, the democratic Presidential contender said he aimed to “fix America”, Biden’s adviser on national strategy, Kurt Campbell confirmed in a report. 

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A spokesman for Trump's re-election campaign, Ken Farnaso, accused Biden of a bias to Chinese President Xi Jinping, as has Trump many times called Biden as “Beijing Biden” for his policies during his Vice president tenure. However, the Biden campaign responded to Trump, saying, he has been “weakest president in American history with respect to China,” according to several televised footages aired by US broadcasters.  

Phase 1 trade deal talks on August 15

Biden’s reference to Trump’s phased-I deal involved China’s commitment to boost purchases of US goods such as the agricultural and manufactured products, energy, and services by at least $200 billion, according to a news agency report. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, China had a fallout on its goal worth $77 billion. Biden reportedly called the deal "unenforceable”, adding, that China imposed harmful subsidies to its state-owned enterprises and “stole” American ideas. Chinese and US officials are set to review the implementation of the Phase 1 trade deal on August 15 via teleconference.

(With inputs from agency)

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