Beijing, China - China said Tuesday it would slap tariffs on imports of US energy, vehicles, and equipment, firing a return salvo in an escalating trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced sweeping measures against major trade partners including Canada and Mexico, with goods from China facing an additional 10% tariff on top of the duties they already endure.

Just minutes after those tariffs came into effect, Beijing said it would impose levies of 15% on imports of coal and liquefied natural gas from the US.

On Tuesday it unveiled 10% tariffs on imports of crude oil, agricultural machinery, big-engined vehicles, and pickup trucks.

China China promises support for World Health Organization after US withdrawal

The new measures were in response to the "unilateral tariff hike" by Washington over the weekend, Beijing said.

That US move, China said, "seriously violates World Trade Organization rules, does nothing to resolve its own problems, and disrupts normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States".

With that in mind, Beijing said it would file a complaint with the WTO over the "malicious" levies.

Alongside its tariffs, China announced a probe into US tech giant Google as well as adding US fashion group PVH Corp, which owns Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, and biotech giant Illumina to a list of "unreliable entities".

Beijing also unveiled fresh export controls on rare metals and chemicals including tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, and molybdenum, used in a range of industrial appliances.

Trump has said his tariffs aimed to punish countries for failing to halt the entry of migrants and drugs including fentanyl into the US. He has also called Canada's existence into question, once again advocating on Monday for it to become the 51st US state.

China China proposes restoration of 2020 trade deal in response to Trump tariffs

But he said Monday that he planned a call with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the next 24 hours.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had both earlier struck last-minute deals with Trump to further militarize their borders with the US, leading to a 30-day pause on threatened tariffs.

The White House said earlier there had been a "heck of a lot of talks" over the weekend.

"This is not a trade war, this is a drug war," National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC, complaining that "the Canadians appeared to have misunderstood the plain language."

US government figures show that only a minimal quantity of drugs enter via Canada. Meanwhile, Canadians have booed the US national anthem at sporting events, cancelled holidays in the United States, and boycotted American products.