US prioritizing allies, not China, in trade talks, economic adviser Hassett says

WASHINGTON, April 8 (Reuters) - U.S. trade negotiators are prioritizing allies as they move forward on trade and are focused on big trading partners that have had big trade surpluses for years with the United States, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Tuesday.

"The president will decide when and if to talk with China, but right now, we've received the instruction to prioritize our allies and our trading partners like Japan and Korea and others," Hassett said in an interview with Fox News.