** Australian tech stocks .AXIJ rise 1.9%, in tandem with its U.S. peers on optimism for Sino-U.S. trade breakthrough .N
** Tech index hits its highest since Dec. 10; set for second consecutive session of gains
** Nine of 11 index members gains, led by hotel booking firm Siteminder SDR.AX, up 4%, and software maker WiseTech WTC.AX, up 3.4%
** Broader ASX200 benchmark .AXJO up 0.6% on the day
** Tech index has gained ~6% this year, 3x the ASX200's rise
(Reporting by Rajasik Mukherjee in Bengaluru)
((Rajasik.Mukherjee@thomsonreuters.com))