Trump and Trudeau Discuss Disputes With China as Tariffs Loom
Trump and Trudeau Discuss Disputes With China as Tariffs Loom
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump discussed trade and legal disputes with China in a telephone conversation Thursday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The two leaders talked about the negotiations with China as the U.S. readied a tariff increase from 10% to 25% on some $200 billion in Chinese goods, according to a statement from the White House.
They also discussed tensions in the Chinese-Canadian relationship, with Trump saying the U.S. was committed to assisting efforts to secure the release of Canadians detained in China.
Two Canadian citizens were detained in China shortly after Canadian authorities last December arrested Huawei Technologies Co. Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of the U.S., which seeks her extradition over allegations of violating Iran sanctions. The Canadian government has also accused China of blocking imports of Canadian canola seed over the Meng case.
The U.S. says that equipment provided by Huawei enables spying by the Chinese government, and Trump has tried to convince U.S. allies to boycott the company.
Ren Zhengfei, the company’s founder and Meng’s father, has denied espionage allegations and a link to China’s government. Meng remains under house arrest in Vancouver while the legal proceedings unfold.
Trump and Trudeau also discussed efforts to ratify a treaty to replace the North America Free Trade Agreement, the White House said. The administration hopes to get congressional approval for the pact this summer.
To contact the reporter on this story: Justin Sink in Washington at jsink1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, John Harney, Justin Blum
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