Be rational and objective, China cautions US, after Trump trade tirades

China urged people in the United States to take a rational and objective view of the relationship between the two countries after Donald Trump became the Republican party’s presumptive presidential nominee.

Trump has proposed that tariffs on imported Chinese goods be increased to up to 45% and asserted that China had waged “economic war” against the United States, taking American jobs.

China is the United States’ largest trading partner.

Asked whether China was worried at the prospect of a Trump presidency, after his commanding win in Indiana and as rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich bowed out of the race, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the election was an internal affair he could not comment on.

“What needs to be pointed out is that the essence of Sino-US trade and business cooperation is mutually beneficial and win-win, and accords with the interests of both sides,” Hong said at a daily news briefing.

“We hope people in all fields can rationally and objectively view this relationship.”

The official Xinhua news agency said Trump “gets them wrong, from trade balance to basic economics”, citing western media and academics dismissing his criticisms of trade with China.

“Trump attacks China to woo voters,” it said.

In April the Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei criticised Trump, calling him “an irrational type” due to his proposal for tariffs on imported Chinese goods.

Chinese officials have also indirectly criticised Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States and his assertion that China is stealing US jobs.

The United States reported a $366bn trade deficit with China in 2015, up from $343bn in 2014. It is the largest US trade imbalance with any nation.

China’s tightly controlled state media has largely stuck to reporting the facts about Trump, with some notable exceptions.

In March the Global Times accused Trump of being a racist, warning that other extremists such as Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler had been voted into power.

Reacting to Trump’s triumph on Wednesday, Xinhua noted he could beat likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton if he toned down his “explosive rhetoric”.

“Despite being a celebrity outside the United States, Clinton, the former first lady and secretary of state, simply neither excites nor galvanises her base,” it said in an English-language piece.