Mubasher: China hopes that the US will stop its wrongful tariff moves, warning that any new levies could end up in more escalation.

“Despite the US decision to delay tariffs on some Chinese goods [...] if the United States rides roughshod over China’s opposition and impose any new tariffs, China will be forced to adopt retaliatory actions,” Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng was quoted by Reuters.

The US administration earlier this month announced that it would impose tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods as from 1 September, virtually extending tariffs to all of Chinese exports to the US.

However, President Donald Trump later postponed the implementation of duties on some Chines items, comprising mobile phones, laptops and other consumer goods to 15 December, to avoid the impact on American businesses and customers in the holidays season.

Trade officials from both side have been in touch, Gao said.

When asked if the US side has raised the matter of Hong Kong during the trade talks, the spokesman asserted that Hong Kong is part of China, and the US intervention is not necessary.

Trump over the weekend warned Beijing against a crackdown in Hong Kong like the suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989, which would make it “very hard” to clinch a trade deal with China.