Post by : Rameen Ariff

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a striking statement that reignited global debate, U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged that Washington is a “threat” to Beijing, just days after proposing a trade truce with China. Speaking in an exclusive interview with CBS News, Trump described the relationship between the two nations as “highly competitive,” while emphasizing that both sides constantly monitor each other.

“We’re a threat to them, too,” Trump said, referring to China’s growing global influence. “Many of the things that you say, we do to them. This is a very competitive world, especially when it comes to China and the U.S. We’re always watching them, and they’re always watching us. I think we can be bigger, better, and stronger by working with them rather than knocking them out.”

The comments came amid renewed tensions following reports that Chinese intelligence operatives had infiltrated parts of the U.S. power grid and water systems. Washington has also accused Beijing of large-scale intellectual property theft and data breaches, deepening mistrust between the world’s two largest economies.

Trump went on to discuss China’s rapidly expanding nuclear program, claiming Beijing is “making nuclear weapons rapidly” and could soon rival the United States and Russia. “We have more nuclear weapons than any other country. Russia’s second. China’s a very distant third, but they’ll be even in five years,” he said. Trump added that the U.S. must take proactive steps toward denuclearisation, a topic he claimed to have discussed with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Highlighting the massive scale of the global nuclear arsenal, Trump said, “We have enough nuclear weapons to blow up the world 150 times. Russia has a lot, and China will have a lot too. They already have quite a bit.” He defended his recent order to resume U.S. nuclear testing, suggesting that other nations were doing the same in secret. “China and Russia are testing their nukes—you just don’t know about it,” he remarked.

While maintaining a confident tone, Trump also acknowledged China’s economic strength, particularly its control over rare earth minerals, which are vital to U.S. industries ranging from technology to defense. “We’re doing very well against China,” Trump said. “But they have rare earth power because they’ve been accumulating it and taking care of it for 25 to 30 years. They used that against us, and we used other things—like airplane parts—against them. They have hundreds of Boeing airplanes. We wouldn’t give them parts. Maybe we were both acting a little irrationally, but tariffs were the big thing in the end.”

Trump’s remarks followed the 32nd APEC Economic Ministers’ Meeting in South Korea on October 30, where U.S. and Chinese officials met face-to-face for the first time in over six years. The meeting was seen as a step toward easing tensions amid trade disputes and global economic uncertainty.

Despite his provocative comments, Trump hinted at a pragmatic approach to U.S.-China relations, suggesting that cooperation could yield mutual benefits. “In the meantime, I think we get along very well,” he said. “We can be stronger together than apart.”

The former president’s statements underscore the complex dynamic between competition and cooperation that defines U.S.-China relations today. As Beijing and Washington vie for dominance on economic, technological, and military fronts, Trump’s words serve as both a warning and a reminder of the fragile balance shaping the modern geopolitical landscape.

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