US President Donald Trump said Wednesday it was "extremely hard" to reach a deal with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, as he ramped up his global trade war by doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

The comments and higher levies came as OECD ministers gathered to discuss the outlook for the world economy in light of the US hardball approach to trade that has rattled world markets.

Trump's sweeping tariffs on allies and adversaries have strained ties with trading partners and sparked a flurry of negotiations to avoid the duties.

The White House has suggested the president will speak to Xi this week, raising hopes they can soothe tensions and speed up a trade deal between the world's two biggest economies.

However, in the early hours of Wednesday, Trump appeared to dampen hopes f

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