Prime Minister Scott Morrison is still confident the US and China can bring about a timely end to their trade dispute.
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US President Donald Trump said on Friday he wasn't sure the issues could be resolved before the next presidential election, in November 2020.
Mr Morrison said if a deal was delayed that long Australia would address the economic implications in the government's mid-year budget update and next May's budget.
"We had a discussion about that yesterday and I've obviously urged that the sooner we can get to an outcome on that," he told reporters in Washington on Saturday.
While the prime minister has been feted at the highest levels in the American capital, he has yet to receive an invitation to Beijing.
But he insisted that was "not something that's closely vexing us", saying the relationship with China was on good enough terms.
Australian Associated Press