'China's entry into WTO worst of all deals, they violated rules like nobody did': Trump

The United States President Donald Trump on Thursday said that China's entry into the World Trade Organisation is probably the "worst of all deals." Addressing the media at the Whirlpool manufacturing plant in Clyde, Ohio, Trump said that Beijing has violated the rules like nobody had ever violated before.

'They went up like a rocket ship'

"China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, which is probably the worst of all the deals, if you want to know the truth. That was where China signed that and they went up like a rocket ship. And they violated the rules like nobody has ever violated them before," Trump said.

"In fact, they’re considered a developing nation. And because they’re a developing nation, they have advantages.  Well, we didn’t accept that. But for years, they accepted that. And, by the way, Joe Biden supported every single one of those horrible, disastrous sellouts," he added.

'We call Coronavirus the invisible enemy'

Attacking China over the Coronavirus again, he said, "First and foremost, we will defeat the China virus. We’re working very, very hard. We call it the China virus. We call it the invisible enemy. We call it many different names. It’s got many different names, but it’s bad. And we’ve made tremendous strides."

Last month, Trump said that China must be held fully accountable for its "secrecy, deception and cover-up" that allowed the coronavirus to spread all over the world. China has denied the allegations. The US is the worst affected country with over 4.8 million cases and more than 1,59,000 deaths.

READ | Commission rejects Trump push for add debate against Biden

The Coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has also battered the world economy with the International Monetary Fund saying that the global economy is bound to suffer a "severe recession".

READ | Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests coronavirus positive ahead of Trump visit

The China issue has become a leading election year topic as Trump and Biden each attempt to paint the other as weak in the face of aggressive moves from Beijing.  Last month, the Trump administration fired a new shot in its diplomatic war with China by imposing travel bans on Chinese officials.

READ | Three teenagers arrested for entering Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort with loaded AK47 rifle

While waging concurrent battles over Beijing’s policies in Hong Kong, human rights in western Xinjiang province, global trade practices and aggressiveness in the South China Sea, the administration hit an unspecified number of Chinese officials with visa restrictions, limiting or entirely eliminating their ability to travel to the United States.

READ | Playing electoral defense, Trump to promote recovery in Ohio

(With agency inputs)