WASHINGTON, May 10 — US President Donald Trump said today he was in "absolutely no rush” to finalise a trade agreement with China as US negotiators from both countries prepared to continue talks in Washington, in a sign that discussions could go past this week.

In a blizzard of early-morning tweets, Trump defended his decision to slap additional levies on US$200 billion (RM831 billion) worth of Chinese goods, which went into effect earlier today, and said the tariffs would boost the United States more than any trade deal.

"Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind,” Trump wrote in a string of posts on Twitter.

US and Chinese officials are to resume negotiations later today morning for a second day as the world’s two largest economies seek to hammer out an agreement.

"Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner — there is absolutely no need to rush,” Trump said. "We will continue to negotiate with China in the hopes that they do not again try to redo deal!”

Trump has insisted that China would pay the tariffs, not US consumers, but prices are up on a number of products as American businesses shoulder the costs. — Reuters