Mubasher: China said that it will never succumb to the US pressure, without mentioning how it will respond to the renewed US threat to levy tariffs against all Chinese imports, Reuters reported.

“At no time will China forfeit the country’s respect, and no one should expect China to swallow bitter fruit that harms its core interests,” a commentary by the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily was quoted by the news agency.

The trade conflict between the world’s biggest two economies escalated after Washington raised duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.

US President Donald Trump accused Beijing of “[breaking] the deal” by backtracking on earlier commitments made during months of bilateral talks.

“China will never surrender to external pressure. We have the confidence and the ability to protect our lawful and legitimate rights,” foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, noting that Washington’s move “won’t resolve any problem.”

China already vowed that it will respond to the US move, but without providing any details.

“As for the details, please continue to pay attention […] copying a US expression - wait and see,” Geng was quoted by Reuters.

China wanted to renege on commitments from a draft agreement that laws would be adjusted to enforce new policies on a range of issues from intellectual property protection to forced technology transfers.

Since then, President Trump defended the tariff hike, while saying the US was in “absolutely no rush” to ink a final deal.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Sunday said that there was a “strong possibility” Trump will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in Japan in late June.