Trump Doubtful Of Deal As Trade Talks Continue

US and Chinese officials will hold further trade talks in Washington on Friday, the White House said, after President Donald Trump discounted the chances of reaching a deal to avert a trade war.

Trump met with a Chinese delegation headed by Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday as talks aimed at easing frictions between the economic powers got underway.

"The two sides agreed to continue the discussions on Friday," the White House said.

But speaking earlier in the day about the prospects for the talks to be successful, Trump was not optimistic, saying: "I tend to doubt it."

"China has become very spoiled ... Because they always got 100 percent of whatever they wanted from the United States," he said.

Trump unleashed a barrage of criticism against former US administrations for allowing Beijing to take advantage of the United States.

"We have been ripped off by China. And an evacuation of wealth like no country has ever seen before given to another country that's rebuilt itself based on a lot of the money that they've taken out of the United States," he said.

"Trade has been a total one-way street," Trump said. "And I explained to President Xi [Jinping] that we can't do that anymore."

Trump also had harsh words for the European Union, which is likewise at loggerheads with Washington over US export tariffs on steel and aluminum.

"The European Union has been terrible to the United States on trade," he said. "They've been terrible to our workers."

China's Liu met held talks with Trump and other top US officials, saying the two countries should "meet each other halfway, respect each other, and work together to push forward bilateral ties in a healthy and stable manner", according to Xinhua news service.

The US has threatened to impose 25 percent punitive duties on up to US$150 billion in Chinese goods while China has targeted US$50 billion in American exports. (AFP)