Beijing: One of China's top trade negotiators has accused Washington of putting "a knife to the neck" with massive tariffs, as Chinese ministers hit back at US President Donald Trump's attacks on Chinese intellectual property theft.

But as the trade war fires up, the Chinese officials also highlighted that third countries including Australia could benefit as US farmers and energy producers faced new tariffs in China.

Chinese Deputy Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen speaks during a press conference at the State Council Information Office in Beijing. Credit:AP

The first meeting between foreign affairs minister Marise Payne and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New York also appeared to show warming Australian and Chinese ties, with the pair expressing support for multilateral free trade.

In Beijing, vice minister of commerce Wang Shouwen said the tariff measures the United States had taken were so large it was like "putting a knife to someone's neck".