White House Will Have ‘Frank Exchange’ on Trade With Chinese Official, Says Insider Source

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin briefs members of the media in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on February 23, 2018. He is scheduled to meet with China's top economic adviser Liu He. Alex Wong/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—Top aides to U.S. President Donald Trump look to push a tough line on trade in talks on March 1 with an envoy of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, with a White House official saying a frank exchange of views was expected.

Aides say Trump has been increasingly frustrated by the soaring U.S. trade deficit with China, which was $375 billion in 2017, and is considering slapping tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.