China is urging American companies to tell the U.S. government to protect their interests. At issue is a Trump administration plan for 10-percent tariffs on Chinese products entering the United States. Those imported goods are worth about $200 billion.

“We hope U.S. firms can do more to lobby the U.S. government and work hard to defend their interests,” said a spokesman for China’s commerce ministry. He told reporters in Beijing that foreign businesses operating in China would suffer in a trade war.

The statement is the latest move in growing trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. The spokesman noted that the two sides are not in talks to end the dispute. The proposed new U.S. tariffs follow the Trump administration’s decision to require taxes on $50 billion in Chinese goods.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said the administration has urged China to end unfair trade, open its market and take part in true market competition.

İnstead of dealing with U.S. concerns, China has begun to take steps against American products, Lighthizer said. “There is no justification for such action," he added.

The proposed new taxes come just days after the administration ordered 25 percent tariffs on more than 800 Chinese products. Those imported goods are worth about $34 billion. The administration blamed what it believes are China’s unfair trade actions and failure to protect intellectual property rights.

A short time later, the Chinese government ordered an equal amount of taxes on U.S. goods.

Aliqismet BADALOV,

“Khalq qazeti”