Donald Trump says ZTE talk part of larger trade deal with China

President Trump said Wednesday that his desire to help the Chinese telecom company ZTE is part of a larger deal he’s working on with China.

“The Washington Post and CNN have typically written false stories about our trade negotiations with China. Nothing has happened with ZTE except as it pertains to the larger trade deal. Our country has been losing hundreds of billions of dollars a year with China…,” Mr. Trump said in a series of tweets.

“…We have not seen China’s demands yet, which should be few in that previous U.S. Administrations have done so poorly in negotiating. China has seen our demands. There has been no folding as the media would love people to believe, the meetings…”

“…haven’t even started yet! The U.S. has very little to give, because it has given so much over the years. China has much to give!”

The company was fined last year after illegally shipping equipment to Iran and North Korea, and last month the Commerce Department banned U.S. firms from selling to ZTE for the next seven years, according to a Washington Post report.

Mr. Trump tweeted Sunday that he wanted to try and help prevent the company from completely collapsing.

The Washington Post and CNN have typically written false stories about our trade negotiations with China. Nothing has happened with ZTE except as it pertains to the larger trade deal. Our country has been losing hundreds of billions of dollars a year with China…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2018

…We have not seen China’s demands yet, which should be few in that previous U.S. Administrations have done so poorly in negotiating. China has seen our demands. There has been no folding as the media would love people to believe, the meetings…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2018

…haven’t even started yet! The U.S. has very little to give, because it has given so much over the years. China has much to give!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2018