China has threatened to take "countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests," in response to Trump's threat of an additional 50% tariff on the Asian superpower — which would bring the total tariffs to 104%.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry, in a statement early Tuesday morning, said the US' so-called reciprocal tariffs were "completely groundless," describing them as "a typical unilateral bullying practice."
"The US threat to escalate tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake and once again exposes the blackmailing nature of the US. China will never accept this," a spokesperson for the ministry said.
"If the US insists on having its own way, China will fight to the end."
Beijing has unveiled its own 34% tariff on US goods in response to Washington's duties, set to come into effect on Thursday.
At the same time, China's Commerce Ministry is seeking dialogue with Washington saying there were "no winners in a trade war."
The Foreign Ministry repeated the line that China would "fight to the end" in a trade war and criticized Trump's "blackmail."
"Tariff wars have no winners, and protectionism has no way out. Chinese people don't make trouble, but are not afraid of it. Pressure, threats and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China," ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.
