US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has initiated the process to usher in a 25 percent duty on all imports from China that are not already subject to a separate tariff, according to a report published by Reuters.

The tariffs would apply to a wide range of consumer products worth some US$300 billion. The tariffs imposed by the US will likely prompt yet another round of retaliatory measures from China – the Asian country has already levied duties on US cosmetics, petrochemicals, peanut oil and soy oil.

China is not the only country engaged in a trade war with the US, the EU, Turkey, India and a number of other countries worldwide have been forced to introduce retaliatory tariffs on US goods as Trump continues to pursue his protectionist policies.