Chinese state media on Friday slammed Donald Trump's threat of more trade action against China as "ridiculous" after the U.S President called for an additional $100 billion of tariffs, escalating an already high-stakes trade dispute between the two nations.

"This latest intimidation reflects the deep arrogance of some American elites in their attitude towards China," the state-run Global Times said in an editorial.

Trump said on Thursday he had instructed U.S. trade officials to consider $100 billion in additional tariffs against China, upping the ante in an already high-stakes trade confrontation between the world's two biggest economies.

In making the call for extra tariffs, Trump wanted to vent his anger with a "bomb-like" statement, the newspaper said, adding that whether the tariffs are actually put into effect and what the consequences will be "are secondary to him."

Washington on Tuesday proposed $50 billion in duties on Chinese goods aimed at forcing Beijing to address what the United States says is deeply entrenched theft of U.S. intellectual property and forced technology transfer from U.S. companies.

China hit back within hours with its own threatened tariffs on U.S. imports including soybeans, planes, cars, whiskey and chemicals.

The widely read Global Times is run by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, although its stance does not necessarily reflect Chinese government policy.