A butcher cuts a piece of pork at a market in Beijing, China, March 25, 2016.  (Photo: Reuters)

The tariffs, affecting some 3 billion USD of imports, will kick in on Monday. Beijing said the move was to "safeguard China's interests and balance losses” caused by new US tariffs. China previously said it did not want a trade war but would not sit by if its economy is hurt. Mr Trump has insisted that "trade wars are good", and that it should be "easy" for the US to win one.

On March 22, the US said it was planning to impose duties on up to 60 billion USD of Chinese imports and limit China’s investment in the US, in retaliation for years of alleged intellectual property theft.