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Trump: He and China's Xi Want Things to 'Go Well' in Hong Kong

VOA News

   U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he and Chinese President Xi
   Jinping "want to see it go well in Hong Kong" amid ongoing trade talks
   to end a bitter trade dispute between the two countries.

   "I have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Xi. We're
   in the final throes of a very important deal, I guess you could say one
   of the most important deals in trade ever. It's going very well but at
   the same time we want to see it go well in Hong Kong," Trump said.

   Trump's Oval Office remarks came as Washington waits to see if the
   president will sign legislation passed by the House and Senate to
   support Hong Kong protesters.

   The legislation has angered China, who has called it interference in an
   internal affair. Trump has been non-committal about whether he would
   sign the measure into law as he tries to close a deal with China to end
   the 16-month trade war.

   Trump did suggest, however, that the issues behind the unrest in Hong
   Kong would eventually be resolved.

   "I think that President Xi can make that happen," Trump said. "I know
   him and I know he'd like to make it happen."

   Trump raised questions about his commitment to standing up to defend
   freedoms in Hong Kong in August when he described the mass street
   protests there as "riots" that China must address.

   Trump again referred to "riots" on Friday, but he has also urged China
   to handle the protests humanely, while warning repeatedly of their
   impact on trade negotiations.

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