China on late Wednesday said it will impose 25% tariffs on an additional $16 billion of US imports from Aug 23, matching an identical move by Washington earlier in the day.
Chinese state media on Thursday accused the United States of a “mobster mentality” and warned Beijing had all the necessary means to fight back.
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Tensions between the world’s two largest economies over a trade dispute, is already impacting industries ranging from steel to cars and causing unease over which products could be targeted, according to media reports from US and China.
“The two countries’ trade conflict, which is merely push and shove at the moment, is likely to escalate into more than just a scuffle if the U.S. administration cannot marshal its mobster mentality,” state newspaper China Daily said in an editorial.
“China continues to do its utmost to avoid a trade war, but in the face of the U.S.’s ever greater demand for protection money, China has no choice but to fight back,” it said.
So far, China has now either imposed or proposed tariffs on $110 billion of US goods, but crude oil and large aircraft are still not on the list.
“China has confidence in protecting its own interests, has many means,” state broadcaster CCTV said on its early morning news show.
Another commentary, written by China Institute of International Studies research fellow Jia Xiudong and published in the overseas edition of the People’s Daily newspaper, said the United States was trying to “suppress China’s development”.