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During an interview with \"Good Morning America\" in November 2015, for example, Trump described China as an enemy. \"Because it's an economic enemy, because they have taken advantage of us like nobody in history,\" Trump explained. \"It's the greatest theft in the history of the world what they've done to the United States. They've taken our jobs.\"

Photos: Trump's trip to Asia and Hawaii

And at a campaign rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana in May 2016, Trump said, \"We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country and that’s what they’re doing. It’s the greatest theft in the history of the world.”

.@POTUS @realDonaldTrump makes remarks at the US-CHINA Business Exchange-Secretary Tillerson & Ambassador Branstad look on. #POTUSinAsia???????? pic.twitter.com/Gm6q0pHRul

— Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) November 9, 2017

At Thursday's signing ceremony in Beijing, the president went on to thank Xi for his recent efforts to restrict trade and cut off banking ties with North Korea, saying “we are very, very much on the same plane when it comes to security.\" He also expressed faith in Xi to fix the North Korea nuclear problem.

“China can fix this problem easily and quickly, and I'm calling on China and your great president to hopefully work on it very hard. I know one thing about your president. If he works on it hard, it will happen, there’s no doubt about it,” Trump said, prompting laughter in the room.

A post shared by ABC News (@abcnews) on Nov 8, 2017 at 9:35pm PST

While in China, the president has also been generous in lavishing praise on his his host, President Xi, and describing their relationship in friendly terms, declaring there is “very good chemistry between the two of us.”

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