Biden calls China xenophobic at Pennsylvania campaign stop

He also says in swing state he wants new tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminium

US President Joe Biden called China "xenophobic" while highlighting the Asian nation's economic woes, as he sought to make the case for US economic strength during a campaign stop in the swing state of Pennsylvania.

"They've got a population that is more people in retirement than working. They're not importing anything. They're xenophobic nobody else coming in. They've got real problems," Mr Biden said of China in remarks to steelworkers in Pittsburgh on April 17.

The President's comments follow a phone call two weeks ago with Chinese President Xi Jinping, their first since a face-to-face meeting in November. While overall relations have stabilised of late, tensions are growing over Chinese investments in manufacturing that could lead to job losses among blue-collar workers.

The remarks were among the most pointed rebukes Mr Biden has delivered of the world's second-largest economy, which grew faster than expected in the first quarter even as questions persist over the strength of the recovery.