Mr Trump also accused China of trying to interfere in US elections.

But on Tuesday a visiting Chinese professor told the Mercury he expects to see a positive resolution between the two countries sooner rather than later.

Professor Yu Yongda from Tsinghua University was in Wollongong to present a talk on ‘Sino-Australian economic relations’.

Speaking through an interpreter, Professor Yu said the trade conflict between China and the US was more of a “political issue”.

“In the civil level, especially the business level, there is still a lot of potential for the two countries to cooperate,” he said.

“I think in the near future there will be a solution to the conflict and there is still possibilities for enterprises and businesses between the two nations.”

Prof Yu from the School of Public Policy and Management, was more forthcoming on the importance of China and Australia building a closer relationship for their own economic growth.

This view was shared by the man who invited him to Wollongong, Professor Alex Frino from the University of Wollongong.

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The UOW Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Strategy) met Prof Yu when he was a visiting professor at Tsinghua University.

Over the years the pair have worked on a number of projects and developed a strong friendship.

“He is a good friend of mine and now the university’s,” Prof Frino said.

The former Fulbright Scholar said China was “absolutely critical in securing Australia’s and of course the region’s economic growth”.

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“Some 30 per cent of our exports currently are to China and that represents up to 10 per cent of our gross domestic product,” Prof Frino said.

“Half the exports to China are minerals and the third largest export is education, generating $30 billion in export income and roughly half of that is from China.”