US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he established "good chemistry" with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and repeated that he had offered Beijing a "good (trade) agreement" if it would help with the problem of North Korea.
"We had a very good bonding. I think we had a very good chemistry together. I think he wants to help us with North Korea. We talked trade," EFE news quoted Trump as saying at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
"I was very impressed with President Xi and I think he means well and I think he wants to help. We'll see whether or not he does," Trump added.
Trump welcomed Xi on Thursday to his Mar-a-Lago private club in South Florida, and on Friday the two leaders continued their first face-to-face talks.
Trump said he had offered Xi a "good trade deal" if Beijing would help with North Korea.
"President Xi wants to do the right thing... We had a very good chemistry together," Trump said, adding "I think he wants to help us with North Korea."
More From This Section
The US leader said he told Xi that "the way you're gonna make a good trade deal is to help us with North Korea, otherwise we're just going to go it alone, but going it alone means going it with lots of other nations."
When asked if the cooperation with China would mean that his administration would not declare Beijing to be a currency manipulator, something that otherwise would lead to economic sanctions by Washington, Trump said: "We'll see."
During the 2016 election campaign, Trump lambasted China for manipulating its currency to secure trade advantages and warned that he could impose heavy tariffs on imports from the Asian giant if Beijing did not level the playing field, EFE news reported.
The rise in tensions due to the military sabre-rattling by the North Korean regime, a traditional ally of China, has sparked concern in South Korea and Japan, who are close partners of Washington, and has led the US to reinforce its military presence in the region.
--IANS
lok/