Trump says he is having dinner Friday with Apple CEO Cook

[BEDMINSTER] US President Donald Trump said he was having dinner on Friday with chief executive officer Tim Cook of Apple Inc, a company the president has criticised for not manufacturing more of its products in the United States.

"Having dinner tonight with Tim Cook of Apple. They will be spending vast sums of money in the US Great!" Mr Trump, who is on a working vacation at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, said in a Twitter message.

The White House did not immediately respond to a question about the agenda for the dinner and what Mr Trump was referring to when he said Apple would be spending vast sums in the United States.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr Trump has said he wants Apple and other manufacturers to move their production from China and other countries to the United States.

Another round of US tariffs on Chinese imports had been due to take effect in Sept 1, but the Trump administration this week delayed the tariffs on some products until Dec 15.

"We're doing this for Christmas season, just in case some of the tariffs would have an impact on US customers," Mr Trump said on Tuesday after the announcement.

Levies on Apple's MacBooks and iPhones were delayed until December, while tariffs on its AirPods, Apple Watch and HomePod will go into effect as scheduled next month.

The United States and China are locked in a trade war over US demands that China change its policies on intellectual property protection, technology transfers, industrial subsidies and other trade barriers.

Mr Trump said on Thursday that US and Chinese negotiators were holding "productive" trade talks and expected them to meet in September.

REUTERS