Ministry spokesperson He Yongqian told a press briefing that while China remains open to talks, any talks must be based on mutual respect and conducted on equal footing.

If the United States is bent on waging a trade war, China will fight to the end, the spokesperson said.

"Pressure, threats and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China. We hope that the two countries will meet each other halfway and work towards resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, guided by the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," He said.