RECONCILING?

Trump to China: Let’s Have a ‘Constructive Relationship’

In a new letter to Xi Jinping.

President Trump wants to have a “constructive relationship” with China, despite his own history of heated rhetoric against America’s largest trading partner. In a letter dated Wednesday to China’s president, Xi Jinping, the newly inaugurated U.S. president also thanked his counterpart for a congratulatory message when he won the U.S. general election. Prior to Trump’s inauguration, Chinese leaders had signaled dismay at the then-incoming administration’s tone toward their trade and military agreements. Most famously, the Chinese military warned Trump with a reported nuclear fly-by and a message to respect their “core interests” after Trump spoke on the phone with Taiwan’s president. Additionally, throughout his presidential campaign Trump repeatedly called for tariffs on Chinese imports to the U.S. and accused Beijing of currency manipulation and military encroachments.