Prime Minister Scott Morrison is still confident the US and China can bring about a timely end to their trade dispute.
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.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Donald Trump share a joke during speeches. Source: AP
"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.
Talks 'going well'
President Donald Trump, speaking at a White House meeting with Mr Morrison, said the US was taking in billions of dollars from tariffs imposed on Chinese products, adding that the total would soon reach $US100 billion.
Talks were going well, though, he indicated.
"I will say this: We're making a lot of progress with China," the Republican president said.
China agreeing to more agricultural purchases would not be enough, he said.
"We're looking for a complete deal. I'm not looking for a partial deal," he said, adding that he did not need a deal to happen before the 2020 presidential election.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua said on Saturday that China and the United States had "constructive" discussions on trade.
The two countries agreed to keep communicating on related issues, and discussed the details of the next round of trade talks in October, Xinhua said, without providing other details.
