China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday urged Washington to engage in discussions on trade. “What is needed now is not unilateral, additional tariffs but dialogue and consultation based on equality and mutual respect,

Uncertainty about when – or whether – the two will speak could reflect their different approach to the US-China relationship.

U.S. President Donald Trump will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping as soon as this week, Trump's spokesperson said, setting up a major diplomatic exchange as the world's two largest economies seek a deal that could avert a broader trade war.