As Beijing retaliates, Trump has granted America's three big car makers just one month of reprieve from the 25 per cent tariffs he imposed on Mexico and Canada.
"Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it's our turn," Trump said, citing high duties imposed on US goods by India, South Korea, the European Union, China and others.
China's foreign affairs ministry responded defiantly: "If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we're ready to fight until the end."
Trump hailed his tariff agenda and his efforts to curb the fentanyl overdose crisis during an address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.
China responded immediately, announcing additional tariffs of 10 per cent to 15 per cent on certain US imports from March 10 and a series of new export restrictions for designated US entities.
Later, it raised complaints about the tariffs in the US with the World Trade Organisation.
