China warns of 'necessary response' in event of a trade war with US

Trump's administration has faced growing opposition to the tariffs from prominent congressional Republicans and business officials worried about their potential impact on the economy

China will respond as necessary in the event of a trade war with the United States, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday, while warning that such a war would only harm all sides.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to establish tariffs of 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum this week, but the White House has said there could be a 30-day exemption for Mexico and Canada and some other countries based on national security.

Such a move aims to counter cheap imports, especially from China, that Trump says undermine U.S.