WASHINGTON — US and Chinese officials will hold further trade talks in Washington on Friday, the White House said, after President Donald Trump discounted the chances of reaching a deal to avert a trade war.

Trump met with a Chinese delegation headed by Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday as talks aimed at easing frictions between the economic powers got underway.

"The two sides agreed to continue the discussions on Friday," the White House said.

But speaking earlier in the day about the prospects for the talks to be successful, Trump was not optimistic, saying: "I tend to doubt it."

"China has become very spoiled because they always got 100 percent of whatever they wanted from the United States," he said.

Trump unleashed a barrage of criticism against former US administrations for allowing Beijing to take advantage of the United States.

"Trade has been a total one-way street," Trump said. "And I explained to China’s President Xi Jinping that we can’t do that anymore."

Trump also had harsh words for the European Union, which is likewise at loggerheads with Washington over US export tariffs on steel and aluminum.

“Meet each other halfway,” he said. — AFP