The US president insists that Beijing is using tariffs to influence American voters into changing their position ahead of a crucial congressional elections in November.

Donald Trump is keeping up the pressure on China in an ongoing trade war which threatens to undermine global flow of goods.
Donald Trump is keeping up the pressure on China in an ongoing trade war which threatens to undermine global flow of goods. (AP)

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused China of seeking to influence knife-edge midterm congressional elections by taking aim at his political base in the economic giants' rapidly escalating trade war.

The allegation raised the temperature in the escalating dispute after Trump pulled the trigger late Monday on 10 percent tariffs against $200 billion in Chinese goods from next week, with a threat of more tariffs on another $267 billion.

Beijing responded by announcing new tariffs on $60 billion of US imports to take effect at the same time.

In a combative series of tweets, Trump, whose Republicans fear losing control of Congress in November, accused China of targeting retaliatory trade measures for political effect.

Accusations of election meddling are especially sensitive, given the political maelstrom over Russia's alleged intervention to support Trump in the 2016 presidential vote.


"They also know that I am the one that knows how to stop it," he added.


It was unclear to which open statements by China if any Trump was referring.

Recent NBC News/Marist polling has found the trade war is unpopular in six states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.

Tearing up the rulebook 

Trump believes that his tearing up of the international trade rulebook is long overdue. His promise to end what he says are grossly skewed Chinese trade relations was a key plank of his election.

At a news conference on Monday, Trump again said the US had been "ripped off" by China.

"They rebuilt their country with tremendous amounts of money pouring out of the United States. I have changed that around," Trump said during a news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda.

"Our country has been abused and taken advantage of by virtually every country that it does business with. And we're just not letting that happen anymore."

Washington accuses China in particular of seeking global industrial dominance through industrial espionage and forced transfers of technology from foreign companies, state-sponsored corporate acquisitions, illicit market interventions, subsidies and dumping.

Administration officials told reporters this week that China had been "obdurate" in refusing to address American grievances.

Once the new round of tariffs takes effect on September 24, punitive duties will be in place on $250 billion in goods the US buys from China its largest source of imports.

This latest round of imports will face 10 percent tariffs through the end of the year, when the rate jumps to 25 percent.

Trump has warned further retaliation from China will see the US put duties on all US imports from the Asian economy.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies