China denies Trump's claims of phone call on trade talks

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed at the G7 summit in France this week that China had initiated a phone call recently seeking a resumption of trade talks with Washington.
Beijing, however, has come out with a strong denial, insisting no such conversations took place during that period.
It also took the opportunity to blast the Trump administration, accusing it of "bullying" China with its aggressive tariff policy.
Oh Soo-young reports.
China's Foreign Ministry says it's "unaware" that any phone calls took place between Washington and Beijing over the weekend,... as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed in France.
This rebuttal came a day after Trump said on Monday,... at the end of the G7 summit,... that China had called top U.S. trade officials,... asking to resume talks on a trade deal.
Trump then expressed optimism a deal would soon be reached.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also said there'd been contact between the two sides but did not specify with whom.
China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a press conference Tuesday that he has not heard of any phone calls made between the two governments regarding their trade spat.
Instead, he criticized the Trump administration for increasing tariffs on China's exports to the U.S.,... calling it a measure of "extreme pressure" that is not constructive and "purely harmful" to both sides.
After Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed at the G20 meeting in June to restart talks on hammering out a trade deal,... the U.S. appeared to break the ceasefire this month by upping tariffs on Chinese imports.
Beijing retaliated by slapping duties on some 75-billion dollars worth of U.S. goods.
Geng said Tuesday that China hopes the U.S. will (quote) return to rationality and stop its wrong practices.
China's state-run Xinhua News Agency also said in a commentary that what it views as "bullying and maximum pressure" from the U.S. will not be effective,... and that China will not surrender to Washington's irrational demands.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.