Trump Dismisses U.S.-China “Phase Two” Deal, Saying Relationship Is Severely Damaged

As people are skeptical whether the phase one trade deal has been completed and what lies ahead for the next deak the U.S. President Donald Trump has shattered all hopes by saying that the phase two of the U.S.-China trade deal is not a priority as of now.

 

The relationship between Washington and Beijing has been severely damaged due to the coronavirus outbreak that China could have contained and warned the U.S. of the pandemic prior to the major outbreak in March, reported from a reporter on the Air Force One with Trump.

When asked if what he said meant that there would be no “phase two” trade deal, Trump said that he was not even thinking about it as he had many other things on his mind.

 

Last week, the U.S. has begun the process of officially withdrawing the nation from the World Health Organization (WHO) after more than 70 years of membership due to the skepticism toward the WHO’s relationship with China, citing a question whether the agency becomes a puppet for Beijing government during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trump announced the decision to end the relationship with WHO over a month ago as the organization failed to respond credibly on question whether the WHO is independent enough after it was accused of being under China’s control amid the pandemic.

The Trump administration has to give one-year notice of the US withdrawal from the United Nation body and pay all Washington’s dues under a 1948 joint resolution of the U.S. Congress. The United States currently owes the WHO more than $200 million in assessed contributions, according to the WHO website, reported by Reuters.  The withdrawal is expected to be on July 6, 2021.