The president apparently thinks that Asian investors can’t read American political and economic news. Especially the Chicoms. As Arthur Jensen would have said to Howard Beale, what do you think their bond traders talk about in their meetings? The Little Red Book? They look at the trade figures and the money supply just like we do.
I seriously doubt he meant those words for the Chicoms. Those were for public consumption. If you recall during the election one of his staff told the Canadians in private "Don't worry about his public statements on NAFTA." I'm sure he is telling the Chicoms something completely different in private.
Then again, maybe he feeds them the same crap in private. Who knows?