WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has instructed the United States (US)trade representative to consider slapping an additional $100 billion intariffs on Chinese goods in a dramatic escalation of the trade disputebetween the two countries.

Trump’s surprise move on Thursday came a day after Beijing announced plansto tax $50 billion in American products, including soybeans and smallaircraft, in response to a US move this week to slap tariffs on $50 billionin Chinese imports.

And it intensified what was already shaping up to be the biggest tradebattle since World War II.

Global financial markets had fallen sharply as the world’s two biggesteconomies squared off over Beijing’s aggressive trade tactics. But they hadcalmed down on Wednesday and Thursday on hopes the US and China would finda diplomatic solution.

Instead, the White House announced after the markets closed on Thursdaythat Trump had instructed the Office of the US Trade Representative toconsider whether $100 billion of additional tariffs would be appropriateand, if so, to identify which products they should apply to.

He’s also instructed his secretary of agriculture “to implement a plan toprotect our farmers and agricultural interests”.

“China’s illicit trade practices ignored for years by Washington havedestroyed thousands of American factories and millions of American jobs,”Trump said in a statement announcing the decision.

Soon after Trump’s announcement, China said on Friday that it was ready topay “any cost” in a possible trade war with the US.