China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday urged Washington to engage in discussions on trade. “What is needed now is not unilateral, additional tariffs but dialogue and consultation based on equality and mutual respect,

Uncertainty about when – or whether – the two will speak could reflect their different approach to the US-China relationship.

If China is angry at the United States for imposing an extra 10% tariff on all Chinese goods, it is doing a good job of hiding it.Both Canada and Mexico have vowed to retaliate and already Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his country "will not back down" as he announced a 25% levy on more than $100bn (£81bn) of American goods.

U.S. President Donald Trump will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping as soon as this week, Trump's spokesperson said, setting up a major diplomatic exchange as the world's two largest economies seek a deal that could avert a broader trade war.

Xi Jinping’s approach to counteracting U.S. trade policies is a carefully calculated response aimed at securing China’s long-term economic stability. However, the path forward will not be without its challenges,