Beijing’s tough response to the US imposition of tariffs on $50bn of Chinese imports looks like an escalation of the trade dispute with Washington.
However, in calling Donald Trump’s bluff and deciding to match US tariffs dollar-for-dollar Beijing may actually be trying not to fuel a trade war but to avoid one, experts say.
Announcing his decision to impose tariffs on Friday, Mr Trump promised further duties if China retaliated in any way. US officials, who portray the $50bn in tariffs announced last week as their measured response to what they see as years of Chinese theft of US intellectual property, are already at work on a list of a further $100bn in Chinese imports to target if the president chooses.