China has plans in sight for new tariffs on US meat, fruit and other products so as to retaliate against taxes approved by President Donald Trump on imported steel and aluminum.
The Chinese finance ministry said in a statement that the new tariffs begin on Monday. The announcement follows warnings Chinese officials have made for several weeks in an escalating trade dispute with the United States. China’s Customs Tariff Commission is increasing the tariff rate on eight imported US products
Mr Trump’s tariffs are partly a response to complaints that Beijing steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology.
“We hope that the United States can withdraw measures that violate WTO rules as soon as possible to put trade in the relevant products between China and the US back on a normal track,” the Commerce Ministry statement said.
“Cooperation between China and the United States, the world’s two largest economies, is the only correct choice.”
Trump has temporarily suspended the tariffs for the European Union as well as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and South Korea.
But the White House has unveiled plans to impose new tariffs on some $60 billion of Chinese imports over the “theft” of intellectual property.
China has called on the United States to stop its “economic intimidation” and had warned that it was ready to hit back.