China will pay no attention if the United States continues to play the "tariff numbers game", China's foreign ministry said after the White House outlined how China faces tariffs of up to 245 percent due to its retaliatory actions.
Beijing's comments came on Thursday after the White House said in a fact sheet on Tuesday that China's total duties include the latest reciprocal tariff of 125 percent, a 20 percent tariff to address the fentanyl crisis, and tariffs of between 7.5 percent and 100 percent on specific goods to address unfair trade practices.
Earlier in the day, China called on the United States to stop its "maximum pressure" tactics and "blackmail" in trade negotiations.
It was in response to President Donald Trump's remarks from Wednesday, where he said the ball is in China's court regarding the trade war.
"China needs to make a deal with us. We don't have to make a deal with them," Trump said then.
Trump insists there was no tariff exception for electronics, saying they are subject to existing fentanyl tariffs.
Trade tensions
Trump announced additional tariffs on all countries two weeks ago, before suddenly rolling back higher "reciprocal tariffs" for dozens of countries while keeping punishing duties on China.
Beijing raised its own levies on US goods in response and has not sought talks, which it says can only be conducted on the basis of mutual respect and equality. Meanwhile, many other nations have begun looking at bilateral deals with Washington.
Last week, China also filed a new complaint with the World Trade Organization expressing "grave concern" over US tariffs, accusing Washington of violating the global trade body's rules.
China this week unexpectedly appointed a new trade negotiator who would be key in any talks to resolve the escalating tariff war, replacing trade tsar Wang Shouwen with Li Chenggang, its envoy to the WTO.
Washington said Trump was open to making a trade deal with China, but Beijing should make the first move, insisting that China needed "our money".
