New York, New York - China attacked US trade policies as "bullying" and "blackmail" in a fiery speech at the United Nations (UN), accusing Washington of threatening world peace and stability.

"Unilateralism is on the rise, and bullying practices run rampant," Fu Cong, China's permanent representative, told an informal Security Council meeting on Wednesday.

According to Fu, the Trump administration is "blatantly challenging the international order underpinned by international law [and] threatening world peace and stability."

The envoy took direct aim at the US, saying that the administration's brutal trade war "severely disrupts the global economic order" by imposing shock tariffs on its trading partners.

China China vows to hit back at "appeasement" as tariff war extends to countries that deal with Trump

"Under the disguise of 'reciprocity' and 'fairness,' the US is playing a zero-sum game, which is essentially about subverting the existing international economic and trade order" through its tariffs and advancing its own "hegemonic interests," Fu said.

"Should we abide by international law and the basic norms governing international relations, or should we return to the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak?"

"Any form of maximum pressure, threat, or blackmail is not the right way to engage with China," Fu added.

While Trump backtracked on his radical "Liberation Day" tariffs, which imposed a minimum levy of 10% on most countries, the US has continued to hike tariffs on China to a whopping 145% in recent weeks.

China responded by levying its own 125% tariffs against the US and launching severe restrictions on agricultural imports.

Washington shot back in response to Fu's comments, accusing China of imposing "unilateral unfair trade practices" and hurting global economies.

"The world should look at China's actions, rather than its empty claims, when judging its contributions to the international system," Ting Wu, deputy political counselor for the US mission, told the Security Council.