US President Donald Trump on Monday expressed confidence in reaching a fair trade agreement with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and played down the chances of a confrontation over Taiwan, even as his top trade negotiator accused China of practising “economic coercion.”

Trump suggested to reporters that China had no designs on invading Taiwan but acknowledged he expected the issue to be on the agenda at a planned meeting with Xi on the sidelines of an economic conference in South Korea next week.

Trade tensions between the US and China, the world’s two biggest economies, have lingered. Disputes over tariffs, technology and market access remain unresolved days before the meeting. Trump spoke at the start of a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese where the two signed

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