HOUSTON,   (Xinhua) -- Data from the Donald Trump administration has shown that U.S. trade policies toward China have done badly, a U.S. expert on China said Thursday.

The comment was made by David J. Firestein, president and CEO of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, during an online presentation held by the Folks Center for International Business in the University of South Carolina.

According to Firestein, concrete facts have shown that under the Trump administration, U.S. trade policies toward China are "killing American jobs" and "hurting the American economy."

"The U.S. merchandise deficit with China is greater than it's ever been," he said, adding that "manufacturing jobs in this country have been lost, not gained."

Taking agriculture as an example, the scholar said the United States now has an agricultural goods deficit with China due to the trade policy. "When before President Trump, we had an agricultural goods surplus with China."

To properly address the trade issue, Firestein said tariffs should be got rid of. Moreover, the United States and China should sit down and "have discrete negotiations."

The online event was attended by over 400 people from more than 20 countries and regions.  ■