US President Donald Trump said Chinese leader Xi Jinping was “extremely hard to make a deal with” in a comment that comes as frictions rise between the two countries, weeks after they reached an agreement to de-escalate trade tensions.

U.S. President Donald Trump called China's Xi Jinping tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with" on Wednesday, exposing frictions after the White House raised expectations for a long-awaited phone call between the two leaders this week.

President Donald Trump has vented his frustration with China's President Xi Jinping, as the trade conflict flares again, despite an agreement in Geneva to slash tariffs and work constructively to resolve key differences.