China has dismissed criticism from President-elect Donald Trump that Beijing is responsible for “raping” the US with its trade policies, claiming the incendiary rhetoric was to boost his election chances.
The comments from Chinese official came after Chancellor Philip Hammond shared a platform with Ma Kai, one of China’s vice-premiers and hailed a “truly golden era of relations” between London and Beijing.
During the presidential campaign Mr Trump, then the Republican nominee accused China of “raping” the United States with its trade policy and added the country should be held responsible for the “greatest theft in the history of the world”. In his manifesto material the President-elect said that he would direct his newly appointed Treasury Secretary to “label China a currency manipulator”.
Hammond indicates Trump’s protectionist could damage prosperity
But on Thursday Shi Yaobin, the vice-minister in China’s Ministry of Finance, told reporters at Lancaster House via a translator when asked about the comments from Mr Trump: “During the presidential campaign in the United States he has made some rhetoric as the candidate of the Republican party… I think he said those words in order to boost his chances of being elected as President and it’s all for the purpose of the election.
“I want to say that the US is the world’s largest economy and China is the second largest economy. There are immense economic strategies and cooperation between the two countries.
Mr Yaobin went on to emphasise the economic cooperation between Washington and Beijing and claimed the situation was a “win-win” for both parties. “I think this fact should be recognised by President-elect and also the people’s of the two countries,” he added.
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