Transcript - Remarks: Donald Trump Meets with Liu He (刘鹤), Vice Premier of China - January 31, 2019 | Factba.se

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:22 (22 sec)

Thank you very much. It's a great honor to have the Vice Premier of China with us, and also the Vice Minister of Trade of China. We have had long discussions. This has been going on for quite some time. It will be, by far, if it happens, the biggest deal ever made -- not only the biggest trade deal ever made.

Donald Trump

00:00:22 - 00:00:50 (29 sec)

It will be the biggest trade deal by far, but it'll also be the biggest deal ever made. The two largest countries doing a trade deal. There won't be anything that will match that. And we'll see what happens. We've done very well. We've had a very, very strong relationship, as my relationship is with President Xi. I think we'll start by reading the letter that President Xi sent to me and to us. It puts us off to a good foot.

Donald Trump

00:00:50 - 00:01:18 (28 sec)

And then we'll also repeat a couple of the remarks that the Vice Premier stated. And then we are going to have Mr. Lighthizer speak for a couple of seconds. And we're then going to get back to business, and you can go and have fun and write your stories. So thank you very much for being here. We appreciate it. And if you could start by reading the letter from President Xi, and maybe you could speak louder.

Liu He

00:01:18 - 00:01:18 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Liu He

00:01:18 - 00:01:18 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Liu He

00:01:18 - 00:01:18 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Liu He

00:01:18 - 00:01:18 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Liu He

00:01:18 - 00:01:18 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Liu He

00:01:18 - 00:01:18 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Donald Trump

00:01:18 - 00:01:30 (12 sec)

That's a beautiful letter and we appreciate it. You may go with the Vice Premier's statements, and then I'm going to ask for you to say a few words, Bob, if you don’t mind. Please.

Liu He

00:01:30 - 00:01:30 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Liu He

00:01:30 - 00:01:30 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Liu He

00:01:30 - 00:01:30 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Liu He

00:01:30 - 00:01:31 (0 sec)

[Via Translator]

Donald Trump

00:01:31 - 00:01:47 (17 sec)

Well, thank you very much. Bob, maybe you could say just a few words as to where we are, how we're doing, what we're discussing. And then maybe I'll ask the Vice Premier to say a few words, and we'll get on with our negotiations.

Robert Lighthizer

00:01:47 - 00:01:51 (4 sec)

Great. Thank you, Mr. President.

Donald Trump

00:01:51 - 00:02:00 (9 sec)

Perhaps, go ahead, if you want to say that. [Interpreter speaks] Got it? He speaks very good English.

Robert Lighthizer

00:02:00 - 00:02:42 (42 sec)

Based on many months of negotiations, we had two very intense, very long days of discussions. Your team was -- all of your team was involved. I think we've made progress. We have much work to do if we're going to have an agreement, but we made substantial progress. We focused on the most important issues, which are the structural issues and the protection of U.S. intellectual property, stopping forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, agriculture and services issues, and enforcement, enforcement, enforcement.

Robert Lighthizer

00:02:42 - 00:03:19 (37 sec)

Both sides agree this agreement is worth nothing -- if we can get an agreement, it's worth nothing without enforcement. That's been your instruction from the beginning. So we're focusing -- we have a lot more issues to cover, but we focused on the structural issues -- the ones that you've been so focused on -- and we talked about enforcement, enforcement, enforcement.

Donald Trump

00:03:19 - 00:03:27 (7 sec)

And you'll be going in early February, with your group, to China to continue negotiations.

Robert Lighthizer

00:03:27 - 00:03:53 (26 sec)

We are more or less -- Mr. President, we are more or less in continuous negotiations. There will be a brief pause for the Chinese New Year -- briefer than the Chinese want -- but our people will be in contact. We're going back and forth with papers and with discussions. The Secretary and I will be going over there shortly, and then we'll see where we are.

Robert Lighthizer

00:03:53 - 00:04:09 (16 sec)

At this point, it's impossible for me to predict success, but we are in a place that, if things work, it could happen.

Donald Trump

00:04:09 - 00:04:32 (24 sec)

Okay. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. And we look forward to that, and we look forward to the results of your trip. But you're really discussing it anyway, whether you're in China or here. We have a thing called the telephone and other means of talking. So I know you're spending a lot of time, and it's moving along well.

Donald Trump

00:04:32 - 00:04:51 (19 sec)

So I just want to say the Vice Premier is a friend of mine. He has become -- he is truly one of the most respected men in Asia, one of the most respected men in all of China, and, frankly, one of the most respected men anywhere in the world. And it's a great honor to have you with us.

Liu He

00:04:51 - 00:04:52 (1 sec)

[Via Translator] Thank you.

Donald Trump

00:04:52 - 00:04:57 (4 sec)

And if you'd like to say a few words -- please, Liu.

Liu He

00:04:57 - 00:05:24 (27 sec)

[Via Translator] It's an honor to meet you, Mr. President. I don’t think you can hear me. And I fully agree with the report that satisfies Ambassador Lighthizer, and we actually have to establish three key themes. First about [Inaudible]. And secondly, about drugs coming through. And thirdly, about enforcement or implementation.

Liu He

00:05:24 - 00:05:45 (21 sec)

[Via Translator] But, at the same time, we'll also discuss something from China: the need to do something where [Inaudible] U.S. some problem with [Inaudible]. So I thank you so much to be with you, and I'm waiting for [Inaudible] in Beijing [Inaudible], and I hope we will make a deal.

Donald Trump

00:05:45 - 00:06:14 (29 sec)

We'll be going. And we look forward to that. And then a little back-and-forth, and ultimately, I know that I'll be meeting with President Xi, maybe once and maybe twice, and it'll all seem -- it seems to be coming together. I do appreciate the fact that you said so much about our farmers and that you'll be doing purchases quickly about the farmers.

Donald Trump

00:06:14 - 00:06:17 (3 sec)

That's really wonderful.

Liu He

00:06:17 - 00:06:19 (2 sec)

[Via Translator] Five -- five million.

Donald Trump

00:06:19 - 00:06:20 (1 sec)

Five million --

Interpreter

00:06:20 - 00:06:24 (4 sec)

Five million tons of soybeans.

Donald Trump

00:06:24 - 00:06:28 (4 sec)

Five million tons of soybeans. Wow.

Liu He

00:06:28 - 00:06:29 (1 sec)

[Via Translator] Per day.

Donald Trump

00:06:29 - 00:07:02 (32 sec)

Per day. That's going to make our farmers very happy. That's a lot of soybeans. That's really nice. And I know they said some other things, and we'll put out a release for the press. But the relationship is very, very good between China and the United States. And the personal relationships are very good, with the Vice Premier, with myself and President Xi, and with our representatives.

Donald Trump

00:07:02 - 00:07:34 (33 sec)

It's been very, very good. And, you know, you read a lot of things. Sometimes you hear good, sometimes you don’t hear good. But I will say that I think that the relationship that we have right now with China has never been so advanced. I don’t think it's ever been better. But I can you tell you for a fact, it's never been so advanced.

Donald Trump

00:07:34 - 00:08:20 (45 sec)

And certainly a deal has never been so advanced. Because, essentially, we don’t have a deal. We never had a trade deal. We're going to have a great trade deal. But we never really had a trade deal with China, and now we're going to have a great trade deal with China, if it all works out. And we look forward to it. It's going to be great for both countries -- not just us, not just them.

Donald Trump

00:08:20 - 00:08:52 (33 sec)

This is going to be great for both countries. And I know you've already done a lot of opening up China to the financial services industry. It's been happening very much, very rapidly. And hopefully we can get that done for our farmers, our manufacturers, and likewise, the United States. So it's just an honor to be with you.

Donald Trump

00:08:52 - 00:09:07 (15 sec)

And I will see you today, but I'll see you a lot over the next month, that I can tell you. Okay? Thank you very much. It's a great honor. Thank you.

Question

00:09:07 - 00:09:14 (7 sec)

Mr. President, when do you want to meet with President Xi?

Donald Trump

00:09:14 - 00:09:39 (25 sec)

We haven’t set up a meeting yet. I think we're working on seeing where everybody is, and then we'll meet to discuss some final issues. It may be a lot, it may be a small amount. But I have a feeling it will be agreed to pretty quickly by both countries. Both countries would like to see a positive result.

Question

00:09:39 - 00:09:53 (13 sec)

And have you seen enough progress, based on what you've heard from your team so far, on IP and technology transfers?

Donald Trump

00:09:53 - 00:10:22 (29 sec)

Yeah. Yeah, very much. Technology transfer, IT. I think that we have made tremendous progress. That doesn’t mean you're going to have a deal, but I can say that there is a tremendous relationship and warm feeling, and we've made tremendous progress.

Question

00:10:22 - 00:10:32 (10 sec)

Mr. President, did you talk to your intelligence chiefs today about the displeasure you had with their [Inaudible]?

Donald Trump

00:10:32 - 00:10:53 (21 sec)

I did. And they said that they were totally misquoted and they were totally -- it was taken out of context. So what I'd do is I'd suggest that you call them. They said it was fake news, so -- which, frankly, didn’t surprise me.

Question

00:10:53 - 00:10:57 (5 sec)

We just ran exactly what they said to Congress.

Donald Trump

00:10:57 - 00:11:06 (8 sec)

Excuse me. Excuse me. It didn’t surprise me at all. But we're here to talk right now about China.

Question

00:11:06 - 00:11:23 (17 sec)

Did the fact they didn’t bring up the border as the world threat assessment, did that undermine or undercut what you have said -- that there's a crisis at the border?

Donald Trump

00:11:23 - 00:11:40 (17 sec)

It didn’t undermine anything. We need a wall. And if we don’t have a wall, we're never going to have security for our country.

Question

00:11:40 - 00:11:44 (5 sec)

But they didn’t bring it up as part of the national security assessment.

Donald Trump

00:11:44 - 00:11:45 (1 sec)

Question

00:11:45 - 00:11:48 (3 sec)

Does that undercut --

Donald Trump

00:11:48 - 00:11:49 (1 sec)

Question

00:11:49 - 00:11:56 (7 sec)

Is there any more detail about the soybean offer and deal?

Donald Trump

00:11:56 - 00:11:59 (3 sec)

Well, I think it's so nice that -- you said soybeans?

Question

00:11:59 - 00:12:00 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:00 - 00:12:09 (8 sec)

That's a tremendous purchase, which will take place now. And our farmers are going to be very happy.

Question

00:12:09 - 00:12:11 (2 sec)

When does that start?

Donald Trump

00:12:11 - 00:12:14 (3 sec)

When is the soybean taking place?

Liu He

00:12:14 - 00:12:15 (2 sec)

[Via Translator] They have already [Inaudible].

Donald Trump

00:12:15 - 00:12:18 (2 sec)

They've already started.

Liu He

00:12:18 - 00:12:20 (2 sec)

[Via Translator] And they will start another [Inaudible].

Donald Trump

00:12:20 - 00:12:41 (21 sec)

So they've started on a smaller scale, and today they're starting very big. And I very much appreciate that. Please tell President Xi. And on behalf of the agricultural industry, and on behalf of our farmers, frankly, we appreciate it very much. It's a very big order.

Liu He

00:12:41 - 00:12:47 (6 sec)

[Via Translator] Chinese people like U.S. farmers very much.

Donald Trump

00:12:47 - 00:12:52 (5 sec)

They like the U.S. farmers. Well, we have good product. And you can use it, and it's --

Liu He

00:12:52 - 00:12:52 (0 sec)

[Via Translator] [Inaudible]

Donald Trump

00:12:52 - 00:13:03 (11 sec)

No, but I really appreciated that. That was really fantastic to say. And that's before we make a deal. It's a fantastic sign of faith.

Question

00:13:03 - 00:13:11 (8 sec)

Mr. President, was the Huawei case discussed during negotiations?

Donald Trump

00:13:11 - 00:13:18 (7 sec)

No, we haven’t discussed that yet. It will be, but it hasn’t been discussed yet.

Question

00:13:18 - 00:13:21 (4 sec)

In what aspect? How will it be discussed?

Donald Trump

00:13:21 - 00:13:33 (12 sec)

Well, it will be discussed. I'm sure at some point that'll be -- that, actually, as big as it might seem, is very small compared to the overall deal, but that will be discussed. Anything else?

Question

00:13:33 - 00:13:41 (8 sec)

Mr. President, is the plan [Inaudible] the trips to see Xi and to meet Chairman Kim again?

Donald Trump

00:13:41 - 00:13:43 (2 sec)

Question

00:13:43 - 00:13:50 (7 sec)

Would you combine the trips to see Chairman Kim for your meeting again?

Donald Trump

00:13:50 - 00:14:27 (37 sec)

It's possible. We'll see how it is. We haven't discussed it yet. When President Xi and I meet, we want to have it down so that we have certain points that we can discuss and, I would say, agree to. But we're not quite at that stage yet. But all of these representatives and these representatives are coming to a conclusion, except for certain very important points.

Donald Trump

00:14:27 - 00:14:52 (26 sec)

And we want to make it comprehensive. We want to make a deal that we can look at and be proud of for many years -- not where we have to go back and renegotiate, or we left things out. So whether it's intellectual property or whether it's any of the other things that we discuss all the time, we want to try -- would you say?

Donald Trump

00:14:52 - 00:14:56 (3 sec)

-- have everything included. We want to have it very comprehensive.

Question

00:14:56 - 00:15:00 (4 sec)

What are the specific points that you feel like you need to negotiate one on one with him personally?

Donald Trump

00:15:00 - 00:15:21 (21 sec)

Well, we really -- we really have discussed many of those points today. But I would say, probably more than any other thing, every single point that you discuss in the newspapers and on television. Those are the points that we're discussing. I don’t think I've ever heard of any point that was discussed by the folks that really represent you, and represent you well.

Donald Trump

00:15:21 - 00:15:27 (6 sec)

It's every single one of those points have been discussed in our transactions and our trade deal -- in this trade deal.

Question

00:15:27 - 00:15:32 (6 sec)

Mr. President, you said earlier you would be willing to postpone this. What did you mean by that? Do you want to extend the deadline? Or what did you mean by that?

Donald Trump

00:15:32 - 00:15:52 (19 sec)

We haven’t talked about extending the deadline. The deadline is March 1st. That deadline has stayed, and we really haven’t talked about it. Maybe we don't -- I don't think we have to extend. Now, at a certain point, you're going to have -- this is a very complex, and a very large -- it’s the largest transaction ever made, to be perfectly straight.

Donald Trump

00:15:52 - 00:16:24 (32 sec)

We have to get this put on paper at some point if we agree. There are some points that we don’t agree to yet, but I think we will agree. I think, when President Xi and myself meet, every point will be agreed to. One of the things that we discussed in Argentina was fentanyl. This is not a trade deal, this is a fact that President Xi was extremely good when he said that they would criminalize fentanyl, because fentanyl is killing a lot of our great American people.

Donald Trump

00:16:24 - 00:16:40 (16 sec)

And if they did what they are going to do, it would very much halt or at least -- I think it would stop fentanyl from coming into this country, which would be a tremendous thing. And so that’s a separate than a trade deal, but it’s a very important thing.

Question

00:16:40 - 00:16:44 (4 sec)

Mr. Lighthizer mentioned enforcement. How do you envision an enforcement mechanism working?

Donald Trump

00:16:44 - 00:17:01 (17 sec)

Well, I think we're going to have strong enforcement language both ways. They want enforcement, too. And I think we're going to have it both ways, and we'll have strong enforcement language. This is a serious deal that we're doing. This could be done very quickly, very easily, but it wouldn’t be comprehensive; it would be small.

Donald Trump

00:17:01 - 00:17:26 (26 sec)

And I just want to end by saying it really is a sign of good faith for China to buy that much of our soybeans and other product that they've just committed to us prior to the signing of the deal -- is something that makes us very proud to be dealing with them. I think that the farmers who have already been notified of this by me and my representatives -- and by Sonny.

Donald Trump

00:17:26 - 00:17:32 (5 sec)

Sonny Perdue is here, the Secretary of Agriculture. I think that was music to your ears, Sonny.

Sonny Perdue

00:17:32 - 00:17:32 (1 sec)

Absolutely. Good news.

Donald Trump

00:17:32 - 00:17:35 (3 sec)

And that’s a big number. That’s a big number even for you to hear. Right?

Sonny Perdue

00:17:35 - 00:17:37 (2 sec)

Good news. Our folks will be happy.

Donald Trump

00:17:37 - 00:17:40 (3 sec)

Will you let the farmers know right away?

Sonny Perdue

00:17:40 - 00:17:41 (1 sec)

They'll know before I [Inaudible]. [Laughter]

Donald Trump

00:17:41 - 00:17:51 (10 sec)

And that was more than even soybeans -- that was the other things that we discussed before the press came in. They discussed other things that they are buying also. So, Sonny, if you let everybody know, that would be great.

Sonny Perdue

00:17:51 - 00:17:52 (0 sec)

We'd be happy to do that.

Donald Trump

00:17:52 - 00:17:53 (2 sec)

Were you surprised to hear that?

Sonny Perdue

00:17:53 - 00:17:54 (1 sec)

Pleased to hear that.

Donald Trump

00:17:54 - 00:18:13 (19 sec)

Ah, that’s going to keep the farmers busy. That’s going to keep them busy. That’s a big order. So let's keep going. Let's start our discussions and we'll ask the media to leave. Thank you all very much. We appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.

Question

00:18:13 - 00:18:17 (4 sec)

Is Secretary Mnuchin going over with Ambassador Lighthizer?

Donald Trump

00:18:17 - 00:18:20 (2 sec)

I think so. Steve, you're going?

Steven Mnuchin

00:18:20 - 00:18:22 (2 sec)

Yes, I'll go with Ambassador Lighthizer.

Donald Trump

00:18:22 - 00:18:27 (5 sec)

Are you going? Are you going, too? Ask Mnuchin. She wanted to know about Mnuchin.

Question

00:18:27 - 00:18:27 (0 sec)

Is there a date for that?

Steven Mnuchin

00:18:27 - 00:18:30 (2 sec)

We have a tentative date we need to confirm in the next couple of days.

Question

00:18:30 - 00:18:31 (2 sec)

What about the summit with North Korean leaders?

Donald Trump

00:18:31 - 00:18:41 (9 sec)

It's moving along well. The end of the month. The end of February.

Question

00:18:41 - 00:18:44 (3 sec)

Any other details you can provide?

Donald Trump

00:18:44 - 00:18:53 (9 sec)

Early next week, probably State of the Union. Okay?

Question

00:18:53 - 00:18:54 (1 sec)

[Inaudible] President Xi?

Donald Trump

00:18:54 - 00:18:57 (3 sec)

One way or the other.