As the trade war between the U.S. and China escalates, the U.S. President has warned there's a lot more he could do to hurt China's economy.
His comments, however, come amid reports of a planned summit between him and Chinese PResident Xi Jinping.
Ro Aram has more.
In an interview on Fox News on Thursday, President Trump praised his tariffs on Chinese imports.
He said they've had a "big impact" in damaging China's economy, claiming Washington's trade deficit with Beijing has gone down substantially.
The Trump administration has so far imposed tariffs on 250 million dollars-worth of Chinese goods, with Beijing retaliating in kind.
President Trump added he could do a lot more if he wanted to, but said he would prefer Beijing come to the negotiating table.
He said although the Chinese want to negotiate, he does not believe they are ready.
He also blamed previous U.S. presidents for allowing China to pursue unfair trade practices and said he had to tell Beijing, "It's over."
Despite the rhetoric, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are reportedly set to meet soon to try and defuse tensions.
The Wall Street Journal, citing officials in both countries, reported that the two leaders will meet at the G20 summit in Argentina late next month.
The meeting was said to have been pushed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow.
The on-going trade spat between the two world powers has taken its toll on the global economy.
The IMF has cited the trade war as one of the reasons it lowered its 2019 growth forecast for China, which is set to see its slowest expansion since 1990.
The IMF has also lowered estimates for the United States and the global economy as a whole.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.