Even Pay, an agriculture analyst at policy research consultancy firm Trivium China, told Reuters: "It's notable that Beijing's response is restrained. Trump has now imposed a total of 20 percent tariffs on all Chinese products. China's tariffs impact a limited number of U.S. products and remain below the 20 percent level.

China has American agricultural exports in its cross hairs as it prepares countermeasures against fresh U.S. import tariffs, China's state-backed Global Times reported, raising the stakes in an escalating trade war between the world's top two economies.

Trump's announcement left Beijing with less than a week to come up with countermeasures or strike a deal. The proposed extra levies also coincide with the start to China's annual