China signed an expanded version of a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as both face increased protectionism from the United States, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized his country's close ties with the region.

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.

The Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN and China on Tuesday signed an upgrade to their free trade agreement, which is expected to include sections on digital, green economy and other new industries.

US and Chinese officials have reached a framework agreement, averting a potentially ruinous 157% tariff on Chinese goods while paving the way for a potential trade deal to be discussed between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this week.

The original soft power couple from post-war China was a pair of giant pandas, Ping Ping and Qi Qi, sent to the Soviet Union in 1957 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution, which led to the establishment of the world’s first Communist state.

With China dominating the global shipbuilding industry, and amid a port-fee dispute with Washington, the US president sees new strategic partnerships as critical.

Mariko Oi will be joined by regular guests from across the region, including South East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head and China correspondent Laura Bicker

China and Australia on Monday sought to keep ties on an even keel despite tensions over military encounters in the South China Sea and rivalry in the Asia-Pacific region, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing both sides as "friends".