US Not Ready For China Trade Deal Yet, Says Trump

President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US isn't ready to make a trade deal with China, but he's leaving open the possibility that the two nations could strike an agreement some day.

Speaking in Tokyo, Trump said of China, "they would like to make a deal. We're not ready to make a deal." He added, "We're taking in tens of millions of dollars of tariffs and that number could go up very, very substantially, very easily."

Still, Trump predicted a "very good deal with China sometime into the future because I don't believe that China can continue to pay these really hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs".

The world's two largest economies are in a tense standoff over trade. Trump has said he expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, next month at a G-20 meeting in Japan.

Trump also brushed aside concerns of Japan over North Korean missile tests, saying that he is not "personally bothered" by them.

Abe, who stood beside Trump at a news conference after hours of talks, disagreed with the US president, saying the missile tests violated US Security Council resolutions and were "of great regret".

Abe, who has been cozying up to Trump on a number of issues, is concerned because the missiles pose a threat to security in Japan.

At the press conference,Trump also announced that Japan plans to buy 105 US-made stealth warplanes.

Japan "has just announced its intent to purchase 105 brand new F35 stealth aircraft ... This purchase would give Japan the largest F35 fleet of any US ally," he said.

On the ongoing row with Iran, Trump said the United States is not seeking regime change in Iran,

"I know so many people from Iran, these are great people, it has a chance to be a great country, with the same leadership," Trump said.

"I'm not looking to hurt Iran at all," added Trump. (AP, AFP)