President Donald Trump recently told reporters a Phase Two agreement with China is not likely. The President said aboard Air Force One last week, “I don’t think about that,” adding, “The relationship with China has been severely damaged.?
The Trump administration continues to pressure China over the COVID-19 outbreak, alleging a cover-up by China, among other things. Regarding his relationship with China, Trump says, ?They could have stopped the plague, they didn?t,? referring to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Phase One agreement included $200 billion of U.S. agriculture exports over two years. However, trade analysts say China isn?t purchasing at a pace to reach that level yet, and some say the level of purchases needed to meet the total is unattainable. Last month, state-owned companies in China suspended purchases from the United States over political issues. Also last month, Trump said the Phase One agreement was ?fully intact,? the same day adviser Peter Navarro said it was effectively dead.
