Trump: Without seeming naive, I’m optimistic about trade deal with China

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that, although he did not want to seem “naive,” he is optimistic about the possibility of reaching an overall trade deal with China, given that the Asian giant is sending “very strong signals” in that regard.

“Very strong signals being sent by China once they returned home from their long trip, including stops, from Argentina. Not to sound naive or anything, but I believe President Xi meant every word of what he said at our long and hopefully historic meeting. ALL subjects discussed!” said Trump on Twitter on Wednesday morning.

The US leader was referring to the meeting he held with Xi last weekend in Buenos Aires at the G20 Summit , at which the pair agreed to a trade and tariff truce for at least 90 days while negotiations are pursued to reach a comprehensive pact designed to reduce the US trade deficit with China.

A few hours earlier, Beijing had expressed confidence in being able to reach a trade agreement with Washington and emphasized that the meeting between Xi and Trump had been “very successful.”

The Chinese Trade Ministry said in a brief communique that Beijing was confident that the agreements reached at the weekend meeting would be fulfilled.

The optimism expressed by Trump on Wednesday came in sharp contrast to the warning he issued on Tuesday.

“President Xi and I want this deal to happen, and it probably will. But if not remember, ... I am a Tariff Man,” Trump had tweeted on Tuesday, a message that helped send the US investment markets into a tailspin, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunging by almost 800 points.

Despite the veiled threat to impose additional tariffs, in another tweet Trump left open the possibility of extending the trade truce with China beyond the present 90-day deadline agreed to in principle with Xi.