Markets fall sharply as Donald Trump attacks China over trade talks

US president sends series of tweets and suggests agreement might be delayed

Markets have fallen sharply across Europe after Donald Trump reignited trade war fears with a series of tweets attacking China's handling of negotiations with the US.

With a two-day meeting between the countries' trade teams due to begin in Shanghai, the US president said China's economy was "doing very badly" and added negotiators "just don't come through" on agreements, including promises to buy US farm goods.

China is doing very badly, worst year in 27 - was supposed to start buying our agricultural product now - no signs that they are doing so. That is the problem with China, they just don't come through. Our Economy has become MUCH larger than the Chinese Economy is last 3 years....

...to ripoff the USA, even bigger and better than ever before. The problem with them waiting, however, is that if & when I win, the deal that they get will be much tougher than what we are negotiating now...or no deal at all. We have all the cards, our past leaders never got it!