US President Donald Trump has met with China's leader Xi Jinping at a South Korean air base for discussions on a possible trade-war truce between the world's two largest economies.

The meeting on Thursday in the southern port city of Busan, the first between the leaders since Trump returned to office in January, caps off the US president's whirlwind trip around Asia.

"We are going to have a very successful meeting, I have no doubt. But he is a very tough negotiator," Trump said as he shook hands with Xi, adding that the pair might sign a trade deal on Thursday.

As they sat down with their delegations to begin talks, Xi told Trump via a translator it was normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then.

"A few days ago ... our two economic and trade teams

See Full Page