China fires salvo in trade war with United States

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) before their bilateral meeting at the 51st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Singapore, yesterday. [Reuters]

China proposed retaliatory tariffs on $60 billion worth of US goods ranging from liquefied natural gas (LNG) to some aircraft yesterday, as a senior Chinese diplomat cast doubt on prospects of talks with Washington to solve their bitter trade conflict given current US behaviour.

The Trump administration ratcheted up pressure for trade concessions from Beijing this week by proposing a higher 25 per cent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. China immediately vowed to retaliate though at the same time urged the US to act rationally and return to talks to resolve the row.