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.

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.

Asian markets opened slightly cooler on Tuesday (Oct 28) as traders kept an eye on Donald Trump's visit to Asian ally Japan ahead of high-stakes talks with China's Xi Jinpi

The United States signed a flurry of deals on trade and critical minerals with four Southeast Asian partners on Sunday, looking to address trade imbalances and diversify supply chains amid tighter export curbs on rare earths by China.