China says will 'fight back firmly' if U.S. publishes additional tariffs

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will fight back firmly with "qualitative" and "quantitative" measures if the United States publishes an additional list of tariffs on Chinese goods, the commerce ministry said, accusing the U.S. of initiating a trade war.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to impose a 10 percent tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods, saying the move was in retaliation for China's decision to raise tariffs on $50 billion in U.S. goods.

"Such a practice of extreme pressure and blackmailing deviates from the consensus reached by both sides on multiple occasions, and is a disappointment for the international community," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The United States has initiated a trade war and violated market regulations, and is harming the interests of not just the people of China and the U.S., but of the world," the ministry said.

If the United States publishes a new list of tariffs, Beijing will take strong countermeasures to safeguard the interests of China and its people, the ministry said.

(Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Sam Holmes)