Donald Trump says he told Chinese President Xi that the US “spies like hell” on his country after he was asked if he’d confronted the authoritarian leader about cyberattacks against American infrastructure.

The President spoke to reporters on Air Force One shortly after departing from Beijing after a two-day summit.

He was asked if he had challenged the man he considers his “friend” about Chinese cyberattacks against the US.

 “The question was asked to me yesterday, I guess, ‘What about the fact that China's spying in the United States?’” Trump replied. “I said, ‘Well, it's one of those things 'cause we spy like hell on them, too.’"