Trump tells Xi that solving issues with North Korea will yield a good trade deal

China?s President Xi Jinping walks with his wife Peng Liyuan from a plane after arriving from Tasmania at Sydney airport November 18, 2014. Reuters/Peter Parkes

US President Donald Trump assured that the United States would be willing to offer China a better trade deal if the latter decides to help out solve the problem in its neighbour and ally, North Korea. Trump had made this clear to Chinese President Xi Jinping during their discussions at his Mar-a-Lago estate last week.

Trump shared that he told his Chinese counterpart that solving the problem in North Korea would yield a good deal. “That's worth having deficits. And that's worth having not as good a trade deal as I would normally be able to make,” the POTUS told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

Furthermore, he told Xi that his administration is willing to not label China a currency manipulator in a report, something that he pledge he would do during the 2016 presidential campaign. Earlier this week, Trump said he does not perceive Xi’s country as a currency manipulator.

In regard to the US’ own actions with North Korea's nuclear threat, the president said a naval strike group that is on its way to the area was meant to discourage Pyongyang from making further actions. He told Xi through a phone call on Tuesday night to relay to Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, that the US has nuclear submarines to go along with its aircraft carriers. The POTUS maintained that for the country to have nuclear weapons and power should not be allowed for it could lead to mass destruction.

Trump and Xi both approved a 100-day plan that seeks to bring down China's substantial trade surplus with the United States. The POTUS also informed the Chinese leader that he had launched missile strikes on Syria as both leaders were having dessert.

Washington-based China expert Bill Bishop said Beijing would not have welcomed the US president’s decision to break the news over dessert, which Trump claimed as the “the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you have ever seen.” Bishop stressed that the Chinese, in general, hate such types of surprises. “The Chinese would have preferred it hadn’t happened while they were in the US. Clearly it overshadowed the summit,” he added as noted by the Guardian. If the United States will be involved with another conflict in the Middle East, Bishop said it is less likely that the country will be focused or have the capability to actually pressure China on certain issues.