U.S. President Donald Trump will accuse China, America’s largest trade partner, of “economic aggression” when his administration launches its national security strategy on Monday, a report by the Financial Times showed.
However, a White House official told CNBC that the Financial Times report is “not accurate.”
“The phrase is not specifically linked to China,” the official said.
Several people familiar with the matter told the Financial Times that Trump would propose a much tougher stance on China than past administrations.
Trump repeatedly slammed China on the campaign trail over trade, but he softened his stance after meeting with President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago resort earlier this year, as Washington sought Beijing’s assistance in dealing with North Korea.
Since taking office, Trump has said he doesn’t blame Beijing for the U.S. trade deficit with China, and he has declined to label China a currency manipulator.
Source: Reuters
