The politically sensitive trade deficit with China surged 16.7% to $36 bn
US President Donald Trump has vowed to shrink the trade gap through his "America First" trade policies
Negotiations in response to bilateral trade imbalances may not always have positive effects
The United States has a trade deficit of about $450 billion, or 2.5 per cent of GDP
Exports to China fell 2.7% and Mexico saw a 7.1% drop in goods shipped from the United States
Trade gap increased 9.6% to $48.5 billion, the highest level since March 2012