Beijing, which set steep duties on canola, peas and pork, wants Canada and Mexico to resist U.S. pressure to raise tariffs on Chinese goods.

The tariffs add a new front to a trade war largely driven by Donald Trump's announcement of tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China and threats of protectionist measures on other nations.

The president has launched a trade war seeking to quell the flow of illegal immigrants and the illegal trafficking of drugs and rebalance trade.