U.S. National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien attends 7th ASEAN-United States Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, November 4, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (Reuters) – United States national security adviser Robert O’Brien said on Saturday that a phase 1 trade agreement with China is still possible by the end of the year, while warning that President Donald Trump would not turn a blind eye to what happens in Hong Kong.
“We were hoping to have (a phase 1) deal done by the end of the year. I still think that’s possible,” O’Brien told reporters at a security conference in Halifax.
“At the same time, we’re not going to turn a blind eye to what’s happening in Hong Kong or what’s happening in the South China Sea, or other areas of the world where we’re concerned about China’s activity,” he said.
Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama