China leader Xi Jinping takes aim at U.S. in free trade speech

Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday China's foundation is built on open markets, and that he is willing to work with partner nations to "grow the pie," a reference to the benefits of free trade.

Xi's remarks at the China International Import Expo, where leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron were in attendance, come at a time of deadlock with the United States.

China's export orders have fallen for the third year in a row amid a trade dispute with Washington, the South China Morning Post reported.

On Tuesday in Shanghai Xi said he would "further open China's markets," according to Beijing's state-owned China Central Television.

In a speech that appeared to be aimed at the Trump administration, Xi said economic globalization is an irresistible tide, and that "no one can stop it."

The Chinese leader stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation on economic issues, saying the difficulties facing the global economy "cannot be solved independently by any nation."

An "open attitude is needed to grow the pie together," Xi said.

"All countries should adhere to the concept of people first, and we should not put our own interests above human interests," he said. "We should pursue 'tearing down walls' instead of 'putting up walls,' resolutely opposing protectionism, unilateralism, continuously reduce trade barriers, improving global value chains and supply chains and jointly cultivating market demand."

Xi's speech on trade comes only days after China was criticized for "bad behavior" in a report on the Indo-Pacific from the U.S. State Department, according to Epoch Times.

The report said China was using its economic power to suppress democratic freedoms in other countries.

"Such practices, which Beijing exports to other countries through its political and economic influence, undermine the conditions that have promoted stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific for decades," the report read.