Barack Obama warned on Wednesday China had “played” the US on trade and said he was in “two minds” whether the US should play a full role in the Olympics.

The Illinois senator said he was a “strong believer” in free trade, but believed that US negotiators had not been tough enough in their dealings with Beijing.

“I think that we have not been very savvy negotiators when it comes to China. I think they’ve played us,” Obama told CBS News, three weeks before the next Democratic nominating contest, the Pennsylvania primary.

Trade has been a key issue in the Democratic White House race, especially in relation to the flight of blue collar manufacturing jobs to China and other Asian markets with low labour costs. Obama was also asked whether the US should be a full participant in this year’s Beijing Olympics, as global concern mounts about the communist giant’s human rights record and crackdown in Tibet.

“I’m of two minds about this. On the one hand, I think that what’s happened in Tibet, China’s support of the Sudanese government in Darfur, is a real problem,” Obama said.

“I’m hesitant to make the Olympics a site of political protest because I think it’s partly about bringing the world together.”

Claims victory

Barack Obama’s campaign organisers declared victory over Hillary Clinton in their Texas nominating clash held last month — although she won the state’s primary vote. Obama’s supporters said he won 99 delegates to Clinton’s 94 after including the results of a chaotic caucuses held on March 4. But the final confirmation will come only after Texas Democrats hold a state convention in the first week of June.

“The Obama versus Clinton match-up in Texas is now complete,” said lawyer Lloyd Doggett.