Trump sets June 15 deadline for opening round of trade war with China
Beijing: US President Donald Trump has abruptly revived the prospects of a bruising trade war with China.
The White House overnight gave a June 15 deadline by which it would name a list of $US50 billion ($A66 billion) in Chinese technology products to be hit with a 25 per cent tariff.
The tariffs would be imposed "shortly afterward".
Investment restrictions and export controls to prevent "Chinese persons and entities" gaining "industrially significant technology" would also be announced on June 30, the White House said.
The statement, demanding China remove its "difficult and unfair" trade barriers, surprised observers because the last round of trade talks in Washington had ended with China's top economic tsar, Vice-Premier Liu He, returning to Beijing with the message both sides had pledged not to engage in a trade war.
Trump's Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin had said the trade war was "on hold".
News that the trade war was off had been widely reported by Chinese media.
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, arrives in Beijing on June 2 for further trade talks, and the latest statement is seen as a pressure tactic.
Liu said a fortnight ago that a deal had been struck for China to increase imports of US energy, agricultural, health, high-tech products and financial services. This was a "win-win" because it would reduce the trade deficit while providing high-quality products that Chinese consumers need, he said.
But Chinese media had noted that the deal with the US could see some Australian imports sidelined, including beef and wine, which had gained preferential access under Australia's Free Trade Agreement with China.
This week, the Financial Times reported that Trump would push Beijing to sign long-term contracts for the US to supply energy and agricultural products including LNG and beef, which would likely lead to a fall in business for US allies including Australia and the EU.
No mention was made after the last round of talks about intellectual property protection or Washington's initial demand in March that Beijing curb its Made in China 2025 industrial policy that promotes the development of world-beating Chinese brands in high-tech manufacturing.
The near collapse of Chinese telecommunications company ZTE after US sanctions prevented it from purchasing US microchips has in recent weeks hardened China's resolve to become self-sufficient in critical technologies, and has make it unlikely China will agree to abandon the Made in China 2025 program.
But when Trump subsequently said he would ease penalties against ZTE in order to save Chinese jobs, this drew a sharp backlash from his supporters.
The White House statement said: "Discussions with China will continue on these topics, and the United States looks forward to resolving long-standing structural issues and expanding our exports by eliminating China's severe import restrictions."