Trump Vows To Charge 100% Tariff On Chinese Goods If Xi Jinping Doesn't Shut Cuba Spy Base: 'They'd Be Gone Within One Hour'

Donald Trump said if he returned as president, he would give Chinese President Xi Jinping 48 hours to shut down China’s spy base in Cuba and if Beijing refused to accept his demand, his administration would impose new tariffs on Chinese goods.

What Happened: Trump, in an interview with Reuters, adamantly opposed China's plan to establish a joint military training facility in Cuba, which has Washington concerned about the potential for Chinese troops and other security operations to be stationed just 100 miles off Florida's coast.

“I’d give them 48 hours to get out. And if they didn’t get out, I’d charge them a 100% tariff on everything they sell to the United States, and they’d be gone within two days. They’d be gone within one hour,” Trump said.

According to media reports, Joe Biden‘s administration has reportedly reached out to Cuban officials in an attempt to prevent the deal from going through, citing concerns about Cuban sovereignty.

During his presidency, Trump adopted a more stringent approach toward China, simultaneously asserting a positive rapport with his Chinese counterpart.

However, their relationship deteriorated significantly due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic when the former president sought to blame China for the COVID-19 pandemic and called on Beijing to be punished for its handling of the disease.

Meanwhile, Trump did not say whether the U.S. would provide military support to Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion if he became the president in 2024. “I don’t talk about that. And the reason I don’t is because it would hurt my negotiating position,” he said.

“All I can tell you is for four years, there was no threat. And it wouldn’t happen if I were president.”

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs