WASHINGTON, BEIJING: US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Chinese and Canadian trade barriers on agricultural products are unacceptable, as he continues to push Beijing to open its economy further and address its large trade imbalance with the United States.

“China already charges a tax of 16 per cent on soybeans. Canada has all sorts of trade barriers on our Agricultural products. Not acceptable!” Trump wrote in a Twitter post.

China, meanwhile, said door to talks is open in principle to talks with the United States. The country’s Foreign Ministry said this on Monday, a day after Beijing warned that any trade and business deals reached with Washington would be void if the US implemented tariffs.

The United States and China have threatened tit-for-tat tariffs on goods worth up to $150 billion each, as Trump has pushed Beijing to open its economy further and address the United States’ large trade deficit with China.

The two countries ended their latest round of negotiations on Sunday, with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and his delegation leaving Beijing without making a public statement, and China making no mention of any new agreements.

Following Chinese Vice Premier Liu He’s talks with Ross, China referred instead to a consensus reached last month in Washington, when China agreed to increase significantly its purchases of US goods and services.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: “I think China’s position in principle is very clear, which is that China’s door to dialogue and consultations is always open.”

China is sincere in wanting to “appropriately resolve” the problem via talks, she added, without elaborating.

BOX: May will discuss US steel tariffs with Trump

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May will discuss US steel and aluminium tariffs with President Donald Trump later this week, May’s spokesman said on Monday. “The prime minister has discussed this with President Trump on a number of occasions already and she will be doing so later this week,” he told reporters, adding she would again express her disappointment with the move.

-Reuters