Pompeo, "Presidential Executive Order on Trade Restrictions Will Not Be Limited to TikTok and WeChat"
[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Donald Trump made blunt remarks about the future of Hong Kong.
On the 13th (local time), in a phone interview with Fox Business, President Trump said, "Hong Kong can never succeed if China is allowed to run it." He predicted that under China's strengthened control, Hong Kong would never succeed as a global financial hub.
President Trump said that unlike the thousands of geniuses who once ran Hong Kong, it cannot succeed under Chinese rule.
President Trump said, "The Hong Kong market will go to hell," adding, "No one will do business there." He also stated, "We will make a lot of money" in contrast.
However, when asked if he wanted Chinese President Xi Jinping to step down, Trump evaded a direct answer by saying, "Hong Kong is a very complicated issue."
President Trump also expressed his intention to block information to European countries that purchase Chinese Huawei telecommunications equipment. This was a warning that strong actions could be taken against countries using Huawei equipment.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also hinted at the possibility of expanding the executive order announced by President Trump to halt transactions with Tencent and ByteDance, the parent companies of WeChat and TikTok.
He said, "The president's executive order will not stop at these two apps," implying that regulations could extend to other Chinese companies or apps.
President Trump also praised himself, saying, "China is a big risk, but I have made it smaller."
Meanwhile, President Trump claimed in the interview that if re-elected, he would lower the capital gains tax rate to 15% and that the value of the dollar would strengthen.
Despite recent low approval ratings, President Trump predicted, "I will be able to return to the White House."
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