China has accused US President Joe Biden of slapping new tariffs on Beijing as part of his re-election campaign and threatened retaliation.
"The US should immediately correct its wrong practices and cancel the additional tariffs imposed on China," a statement from the Beijing Ministry of Commerce said. China will "take resolute measures to defend its own rights and interests" after the US decided to take this step due to "domestic political considerations."
The United States is increasing tariffs on electric cars from China from 25% to 100% as part of a crackdown on Chinese imports, with solar cells, semiconductors, harbour cranes and certain medical products also affected.
The official Chinese state news agency Xinhua added: "The newly announced tariff increase is mainly a symbolic gesture by which the Biden administration is trying to play tough with China amid the increasingly fierce election campaign for the presidential candidacy."
The current tariffs, which were first introduced by former US president and current Biden challenger Donald Trump in 2018 and have now been increased by the Biden administration, already effectively kept Chinese vehicles out of the US car market.
The Chinese state broadcaster CCTV spoke of an "abuse of trade protectionist measures by the US" which would seriously hinder the modernization of the US car industry.
Negative effects are also to be expected for consumers, CCTV said, adding that the moves would also undermine global efforts to combat climate change.
The US presidential election is in November.