2018.05.1400:30:00UTC+00Trump to Help ZTE Stay Afloat Ahead of Trade Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to help ZTE Corp “get back into business” immediately after a U.S. ban debilitated the Chinese technology company, giving Beijing a concession that will save jobs before high-stake trade talks this week.

In his first two tweets regarding U.S. trade relations, Trump says too many jobs in China are lost. He said that the Commerce Department has been ordered to 'get it done!'. It said that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping were cooperating on a solution for the tech firm.

Immediately after Trump's tweet, a Democratic legislator questioned his move to help the Chinese firm, give numerous warnings regarding ZTE's alleged threat to U.S. national security.

ZTE halted its main operations after the U.S. Commerce Department banned American firms from selling to the company for seven years as penalizing for ZTE breaking an agreement reached after it was discovered that it was illegally exporting U.S. goods to Iran.

White House spokesperson Lindsay Walters confirmed that U.S. officials were communicating with Beijing regarding ZTE. She said Trump's tweet underlined the significance of 'free, fair, balanced and mutually beneficial' relations between the U.S. China on issues involving the economy, trade and investment.

U.S. representatives are girding for talks in Washington with China's top trade official Liu He to resolve an escalating trade dispute.