Trump says in 'no rush' to complete China trade deal

[May 10, 2019]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was in "absolutely no rush" to finalize a trade agreement with China as U.S. negotiators from both countries prepared to continue talks in Washington, in a sign that discussions could go past this week.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks on a range of subjects during an event to discuss a proposal to end surprise medical billing in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

In a blizzard of early-morning tweets, Trump defended his decision to slap additional levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, which went into effect earlier Friday, and said the tariffs would boost the United States more than any trade deal.

"Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind," Trump wrote in a string of posts on Twitter.

U.S. and Chinese officials are to resume negotiations later Friday morning for a second day as the world's two largest economies seek to hammer out an agreement.

"Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner - there is absolutely no need to rush," Trump said. "We will continue to negotiate with China in the hopes that they do not again try to redo deal!"

Trump has insisted that China would pay the tariffs, not U.S. consumers, but prices are up on a number of products as American businesses shoulder the costs.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Jeff Mason; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Jeffrey Benkoe)

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