President Donald Trump has said that Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping would visit the United States soon, as trade tensions soar between the world's two largest economies over Trump's tariffs.

"He'll be coming in the not too distant future," Trump said while talking about the Chinese leader.

Trump did not give any further details.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Washington and Beijing had begun discussions about a possible summit in June in the United States. Both leaders celebrate birthdays in the month of June - Xi's birthday falls on June 15, while Trump's birthday falls on June 14.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has unleashed tariffs on major trading partners including China, Canada and Mexico, citing trade imbalances and their failure to stem the flow of deadly fentanyl.

China last week called for "dialogue" with Washington.

US tariffs will inflict significant harm on the US economy as other countries hit back with "high tariffs" on American goods, Chinese state media warned, leaving the door open for more measures by Beijing as another wave of levies looms.

Trump earlier this month raised a 10 percent blanket tariff he previously imposed on Chinese products to 20 percent.

Beijing responded with levies of up to 15 percent on a range of US agricultural goods including soybeans, pork and chicken.

China, the world's top steel producer, has also vowed to take "all necessary measures" in response to separate new US tariffs on steel and aluminum.

It has also slapped curbs on 25 US firms, suspended soybean import licences of three US firms, halted imports of US logs, as well as launched probes into some US fiber optic products.

Trump is additionally threatening reciprocal tariffs on every country that taxes US imports, with those levies potentially kicking in on April 2.

Beijing is widely expected to quickly react to the April tariffs should they come to pass.

To help foreign companies based in China resist "external shocks," its commerce ministry will take a series of measures to help them expand sales in the country, according to Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV, citing sources.

Xi last visited the United States in November 2023, when he met with Republican Trump's Democratic predecessor Joe Biden in California in a bid to ease growing tensions between the two superpowers.

Agence France-Presse, Reuters

Xi Jinping last visited the United States in November 2023. AFP

Donald Trump AFP

Xi may visit US 'in the not too distant future'