It also threatened retaliation, saying China will “continue to take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”

President Donald Trump has said he will soon speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the renewed trade conflict.

The increase in U.S. metals tariffs applies to all trading partners except Britain, the only country so far to strike a preliminary trade agreement with America during a 90-day pause on a wider array of Trump tariffs.

Canada is going to wait before enacting any further retaliation against the U.S. over higher steel and aluminum tariffs because negotiators are in talks on a new bilateral economic-and-security deal,

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada won’t respond immediately to the Trump administration’s doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs, and indicated that officials are in “intensive discussions” about the trade relationship between the countries.

The United States is highly reliant on steel imports, bringing in more of the material from abroad than any other country in the world, according to the International Trade Administration. More than 26 million metric tons of steel were imported last year, most of which came from Brazil, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, and China.

President Donald Trump raised levies on US imports of steel and aluminum to 50% from 25% as he ratcheted up his campaign to reshape the country’s trade ties with the rest of the world.

Trump administration tariffs on all imported aluminum and steel are now in effect as the United States launched a 50% duty directly on those materials Wednesday.