China vows to retaliate as Trump threatens US$200 billion in tariffs

(June 19): China vowed to retaliate against US companies after President Donald Trump threatened to place tariffs on another US$200 billion ($270.3 billion) in Chinese imports, deepening a trade dispute between the world’s two biggest economies.

In an immediate rebuke to Trump, the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing said it would retaliate with "strong" counter measures. "If the US loses its sense and publishes such a list, China will have to take comprehensive quantitative and qualitative measures and retaliate forcefully," according to a statement from the ministry.

Markets soured on the news, with Asian stocks and US equity futures trading lower while safe havens including the yen, gold and Treasuries climbed.

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