Summary
- Trump
rejects that China-Russia alliance threatens U.S. - Claims
China “needs us more than we need them.” - Says
the U.S. military remains strongest globally by far. - Expresses
disappointment in Putin over Ukraine peace talks.
China “needs us more than we need them,” the US
president told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that he and President Xi
Jinping had “a good relationship.”
It occurs as Xi gets ready to welcome foreign leaders to
Beijing on Wednesday for a “Victory Day” parade that will highlight
China’s military prowess.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un will
accompany Xi, which some analysts see as a message to the Western countries
that have rejected them.
Since Trump’s tariffs upended the international political
and economic order, China has attempted to establish itself as a potential
counterbalance to the US.
Trump has said that his tariffs are necessary to safeguard
American business and interests.
Asked by the BBC if he believed Beijing and its allies were
attempting to form an international coalition to oppose the US, Trump said:
“No. Not at all. China needs us.”
He added:
“I have a very good relationship with
President Xi, as you know. But China needs us much more than we need them. I
don’t see that at all.”
Separately, Trump stated
in a Tuesday radio interview that he was unconcerned about the formation of an
axis between China and Russia.
He claimed that America possesses “the most powerful
military forces in the world” and that “they would never use their
military forces against us” on the Scott Jennings radio show.
Trump added in the interview that he was “very
disappointed” in Putin since they were unable to come to an agreement on a
peace settlement for Ukraine during their December summit in Alaska.
“I’m very disappointed in President Putin, I can say
that,”
Trump said, adding that the US “will be doing something to
help people live” in Ukraine. He did not specify.
China has not criticised Putin’s full-scale invasion and has
been accused by the West of aiding Russia’s war effort through its supply of
dual-use materials and purchases of Russian oil. Beijing denies this.
How did Trump justify saying China needs the US more than
vice versa?
The U.S. remains the largest consumer market globally, and
China heavily relies on American consumers to buy its exports. Trump argued
this gives the U.S. leverage because China depends on access to the vast U.S.
market for economic growth.
Trump has repeatedly highlighted the large U.S. trade
deficit with China, asserting that unfair trade practices, intellectual
property theft, and forced technology transfers cost the American economy
hundreds of billions of dollars annually. He views these issues as China
benefiting disproportionately from economic ties.
From his perspective, despite China’s manufacturing might
and export dominance, the Chinese economy is reliant on the U.S. for
investment, technology, and consumption.
