Donald Trump has begun a whistle-stop tour of Asia that will culminate in his first face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping for six years. It is “the most important week of diplomacy” for Trump “since he returned to office”, said The Economist.

Topping the agenda at every stop is trade, with negotiators still ironing out the details of pacts expected to be signed during Trump’s three-country Asia tour.

The president and his surrogates have been solidifying a framework for an agreement ahead of Trump's meeting with the Chinese leader on Thursday.

Asian shares are mixed, with Chinese markets gaining as investors watch to see what might come of a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and China's top leader.