Trump says 'we have a great relationship with China' after critical tweet

U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping chat as they walk along the front patio of the Mar-a-Lago estate after a bilateral meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 7, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the United States had a "great relationship with China" as he stood beside former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, the new U.S. ambassador to Beijing. "We have a great relationship with China and I really like President Xi," Trump said in a speech at an Iowa community college. The comment came a day after Trump said Chinese efforts to persuade North Korea to rein in its weapons programs had failed. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Eric Beech)