The leader of Democrats in the House of Representatives slammed the US' China policy, calling it a "total failure", particularly in how both political parties have allowed the US trade deficit with China to soar. Rep. Nancy Pelosi told reporters that the US should have pressed China 15 years ago on its trade practices and human rights record when the trade deficit with China was still manageable. According to US trade data, the US trade deficit with China was $162bn last year, versus $10bn in 1990.