Beijing, China - Officials in Beijing have said that they will defend China's "national interests" if President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose heavy tariffs.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump threatened to impose sanctions on the European Union and took aim at China over accusations that Beijing was facilitating the smuggling of fentanyl into the US.

In response to the threat of sanctions, Beijing said that they would defend China's "national interests" and warned Trump against starting a trade war.

"We have always believed that there are no winners in a trade war or a tariff war," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in a daily press conference.

China China says vice president to attend Trump inauguration amid tense relations

According to Mao, Beijing was "willing to maintain communication with the US, properly handle differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-US relations."

According to Trump, Canada and Mexico are being used by China as a way to get precursor chemicals into the US. As a result, he is threatening to impose duties not only on Beijing, but on Mexico City and Ottawa as well.

The Biden administration set up a working group with China, which has worked to reduce the trade of fentanyl precursor chemicals and clamp down on entities thought to be responsible.

Trump has been critical of Biden's approach and repeatedly criticized his border policy both on the basis of what he calls "illegal" border crossings and on the basis of drug trafficking.

China US trade envoy says China's shipbuilding policies warrant "urgent action"

Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday, Trump's new White House trade adviser, Peter Navarro, said that Trump's tariff war threat was meant to force the US' neighbors to crack down on unauthorized border crossings and illicit drugs.

"The reason why he's considering 25, 25, and 10 [percent], or whatever it's going to be, on Canada, Mexico, and China, is because 300 Americans die every day [from fentanyl]," Navarro claimed.

"Those tariffs are about stopping the flow of fentanyl and contraband which are killing Americans," Navarro said. "Why don't we have this discussion instead of just talking about 'is he going to do tariffs?'"