Trump blames China for dollar devaluation, U.S. job losses in presidential debate

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, in opening statement at presidential debate, blames China for currency devaluation and U.S. job losses.

“You look at what China is doing to our country in terms of making our product. They are devaluing their currency. There is nobody in our government to fight them and we have a very good fight and we have a winning fight because they are using our country as a piggy bank to rebuild China and many other countries are doing the same thing,” Trump said in his opening statement.

The highly anticipated clash between the Democratic former secretary of state and Republican real estate tycoon has generated wide interest nationally and internationally six weeks before the Nov. 8 election.

Opinion polls show the two candidates in a very tight race, with the latest Reuters/Ipsos polling showing Clinton ahead by 4 percentage points, with 41 percent of likely voters.

The 90-minute debate, which started at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT on Tuesday), could sway undecided and independent voters who have yet to make up their minds as well as voters from both parties who have tuned out the election until now.