China urges EU to act together against US protectionism

China today called on the European Union to take a joint stand against US protectionism as the tit-for-tat trade rift between Washington and Beijing threatened to entangle Europe.

The call to Brussels came as US President Donald Trump warned that he could slap another USD 100 billion (86 billion euros) of extra tariffs on Chinas imports, fanning fresh fears of a global trade war.

"China and the EU ... should take a clear stance against protectionism, jointly preserve the rules-based multilateral trade order, and keep the global economy on a sound and sustainable track," Zhang Ming, the head of the Chinese mission to the EU, said in a statement sent to AFP.

"This is a joint responsibility of China and the EU. We must act together to make that happen," Zhang said.

In his statement, Zhang firmly defended multilateralism and said "the United States turns its back on these globally recognised rules and its own commitment."