Trump says ZTE support part of ‘larger trade deal’ as Chinese state media calls for no ‘conditions’

US President Donald Trump has pushed back on criticism that he was “saving jobs in China” by wanting to lift an export ban imposed on the Chinese telecoms maker ZTE.

As Chinese state media warned against using the issue as a bargaining chip in ongoing trade talks, Trump pointed out ZTE’s importance as a customer of American tech companies.

“ZTE, the large Chinese phone company, buys a big percentage of individual parts from US companies. This is also reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi,” Trump said in a tweet on Monday.

It follows Trump’s earlier tweet on Sunday where he pledged to help give ZTE “a way back into business, fast”, after the company was banned from buying from US suppliers for seven years. “Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” Trump tweeted.

The export ban, which derived from the Shenzhen company’s failure to comply with its commitments to the US Department of Commerce after it admitted making illegal shipments to Iran and North Korea, is expected to be resolved soon as top officials from both countries are holding trade talks seeking a potential compromise amid a looming trade war.

Under the ban, ZTE was not able to purchase products from US chip suppliers Qualcomm, Intel and Micron Technology, optical component suppliers Maynard, Acacia, Oclaro and Lumentum, as well as software suppliers Microsoft and Oracle, among others.