The latest round of sanctions came into effect on Thursday. China had earlier warned it would respond in kind and hike tariffs on $16 billion in US imports.
"The US, in disregard to other opinions, raised import tariffs on $16 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent sanctions on August 23. These actions are obviously in violation of WTO principles. China has lodged a stern protest and has been forced to take countermeasures," it announced.
"To protect the mechanism of free trade and multilateralism, and our vested interests, the Chinese side will file a complaint with the WTO dispute settlement mechanism," the ministry added.
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A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce previously stated that the US decision to impose $16 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese goods was "holding its domestic laws above international laws" and "very unreasonable."
