US President Donald Trump warned China on Sunday that a crackdown on the Hong Kong protests similar to the Tiananmen Square crash would jeopardize the conclusion of a Sino-US trade deal.
"I think it would be very difficult to reach an agreement if they are practicing violence, (...) if it's another Tiananmen place," Donald Trump told reporters in New Jersey (North is the United States) as hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters again parade Sunday in Hong Kong. "I think it would be very difficult to do if there was violence," the president added.
A crisis that could freeze trade negotiations
The demonstrations have followed in Hong Kong for more than two months and China has recently tightened the tone, fearing a crackdown like that of June 1989 in Beijing, when the Chinese army had ended the pro-democracy movement led by students by making hundreds or even more than a thousand dead. If such a situation were repeated in Hong Kong, "I believe there would be a huge political sentiment" that would lead to "doing nothing" in the field of trade negotiations with China, Donald Trump said.
The President of the United States has again expressed his wish that the Hong Kong crisis has a peaceful outcome. "I would very much like to see this resolved in a humane way," he said, calling on Chinese President Xi Jinping to negotiate with the protesters. Donald Trump made these statements as his chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, assured Sunday morning that Washington and Beijing are actively trying to get the negotiations back on track to end the trade war between them and shake the markets.