Chuck Schumer: China is showing Trump it understands the ‘art of the deal’

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., argued Tuesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping is so far winning his negotiation with President Trump, and said it’s China that’s showing it understand “the art of the deal.”

“I am really concerned about the president’s hemming and hawing over the last few days when it comes to China,” Schumer said. “I’m worried that President Xi is crafting a much better deal than President Trump.”

“You could say that President Xi is writing the art of the deal, not President Trump, when it comes to negotiations,” he said.

The New York Democratic leader told reporters that he had a lengthy conversation with the president on Friday and implored him to stay tough on China. Soon after, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Sunday that the U.S. is holding off on imposing tariffs on Chinese exports and said there is a potential deal in the offing that would cut the trade deficit and include an increase in the purchase of agricultural products.

Schumer pressed that more needs to be done, including a tougher stance on ZTE, the Chinese telecom company that has been a focal point over the past week. On Tuesday, Trump floated the possibility of leveling a $1.3 billion fine against the telecom company, which he subsequently came under fire for from members of Congress.

The Senate Banking Committee voted 23-2 on Tuesday to make it tougher for Trump to ease penalties on ZTE and other Chinese telecom companies after Trump said that U.S. technology companies have been hurt by an April Commerce Department that prohibits them from selling goods to the Chinese firm in question.

“We’re pressing the president to stand firm, not to let ZTE wriggle out from under the tough sanctions we leveled on them,” Schumer said. “Unfortunately, every time President Xi flatters our president, he seems to back off a tough deal.”

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