US tariffs "do not comply with international trade rules and seriously harm the legitimate rights and interests of the relevant parties", the Commerce Ministry in Beijing said in a statement.

It urged Washington to "immediately cancel" the new tariffs, warning they "endanger global economic development" and would hurt US interests and international supply chains.

US President Donald Trump ignited a potentially ruinous global trade war as he imposed 10 percent tariffs on imports from around the world and harsh extra levies on key trading partners.

He unveiled particularly stinging tariffs of 34 percent on China, one of its largest trading partners.

A 10 percent base tariff on all countries will also apply to China.

Trump labelled Wednesday's measures "reciprocal" but many experts say his administration's estimates for levies placed on US imports by other countries are wildly exaggerated.

And Beijing's commerce ministry on Thursday called for "dialogue" to resolve the dispute.

"There is no winner in a trade war, and there is no way out for protectionism," it said. "History has proven that raising tariffs does not solve the US's own problems," it added.

"It harms America's own interests and endangers global economic development and the stability of production and supply chains."