Trump sees slowing Chinese growth pressuring Beijing on trade

[July 15, 2019] WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday pointed to slowing economic growth in China amid restarted trade talks, saying U.S. tariffs were having "a major effect" and warning that "possibly much more" were to come.

U.S. President Donald Trump after arriving from a fund-raising event before departing for Washington D.C., at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., July 12, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Growth data released earlier on Monday showed the world's second-largest economy had slowed to 6.2% in the second quarter, its weakest pace in at least 27 years amid ongoing trade pressure from the United States.

"This is why China wants to make a deal with the U.S., and wishes it had not broken the original deal in the first place," Trump tweeted.

Trump and his administration are seeking to push China to make a trade pact after talks broke down in May. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to restart negotiations at their meeting at the G20 last month.

U.S. and Chinese negotiators spoke by phone last week, and in-person talks are expected soon in Beijing, U.S. officials have said.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.