The Trump Administration has raised the stakes in a growing trade showdown with China, announcing 25 per cent tariffs on 1,300 types of industrial technology, transport and medical products in a bid to force changes to Beijing's intellectual property practices.

Key points: List includes television components and motor vehicles but excludes mobile phones and laptops

List includes television components and motor vehicles but excludes mobile phones and laptops Announcement follows China's increase of tariffs on $US3 billion worth of fruits, nuts, pork and wine

Announcement follows China's increase of tariffs on $US3 billion worth of fruits, nuts, pork and wine Hearing on final tariff list is scheduled for May 15

The United States Trade Representative's office (USTR) unveiled a list of mainly non-consumer products that would be hit by increased tariffs, representing about $US50 billion of estimated 2018 imports.

The list ranges from chemicals and medicines to TV sets, motor vehicles and electronic components.

The suggested tariffs would not take effect right away — a public comment period will last until May 11, and a hearing on the tariffs is set for May 15.

Companies and consumers will have the opportunity to lobby for some products to be taken off the list or to have others added.

US-China trade tensions were sparked by President Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs. ( AP )

The announcement drew a swift threat of retaliation from the Chinese embassy in Washington.

"As the Chinese saying goes, it is only polite to reciprocate," the embassy said in a statement.

"The Chinese side will resort to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism and take corresponding measures of equal scale and strength against US products in accordance with Chinese law," the embassy said.

China's Ministry of Commerce followed, saying it "will soon take measure of equal intensity and scale against US goods".

Soon after, China's finance ministry announced it would impose additional tariffs of 25 per cent on 106 US goods, including soybeans, cars, chemicals, some types of aircraft and corn products, among other agricultural goods.

The products targeted by the tariffs were worth $50 billion in 2017, according to a separate statement from the commerce ministry.

Extra tariffs will also be slapped on products such as whisky, cigars and tobacco, some types of beef, lubricants, and propane and other plastic products, the finance ministry said in its statement.

US orange juice, certain sorghum products, cotton, some types of wheat, as well as trucks, some SUVs, certain electric vehicles, will also be subject to the new duties, the finance ministry said.

The USTR target list followed China's imposition of tariffs on $US3 billion worth of US fruits, nuts, pork and wine to protest new US steel and aluminium tariffs imposed last month by US President Donald Trump.

The tit-for-tat standoff between the world's two largest economies has sparked market fears that they could spiral into a trade war that could crush global growth.

Consumer electronics not effected

Luckily for consumers, mobile phones have avoided the tariffs. ( Flickr: Lisa Risager )

Many consumer electronics products such as mobile phones made by Apple and laptops made by Dell were excluded from the list, as were footwear and clothing, drawing a sigh of relief from retailers who had feared higher costs for American consumers.

But the USTR did include some key consumer products from China, including flat-panel television sets and motor vehicles.

Among vehicles likely to be hit with tariffs is General Motors Co's Buick Envision sport-utility vehicle, which is assembled in China and sold in the US.

Volvo, owned by China's Geely Motors, also exports Chinese-built vehicles to the United States.

More than 200 products on the list saw no US imports last year, including large aircraft and communication satellites, while some categories were highly unlikely to ever be imported, such as artillery weapons.

China ran a $375 billion goods trade surplus with the United States in 2017, a figure tMr Trump has demanded be cut by $100 billion.

Sorry, this video has expired Mr Trump says he views China as a friend. (Photo: AP/Evan Vucci)

Robert Lighthizer from the USTR said the tariff list was developed using a computer algorithm designed to choose products that would inflict maximum pain on Chinese exporters, but limit the damage to US consumers.

But USTR said the China tariffs were proposed "in response to China's policies that coerce American companies into transferring their technology and intellectual property to domestic Chinese enterprises".

China has denied its laws require technology transfers and has threatened to retaliate against any US tariffs with further trade sanctions of its own.

US businesses fear trade war

US business groups reacted cautiously, saying they agreed with Mr Trump's efforts to stop the theft of US intellectual property, but questioning whether tariffs were the right approach.

"Tariffs are one proposed response, but they are likely to create new challenges in the form of significant added costs for manufacturers and American consumers," National Association of Manufacturers President Jay Simmons said.

Even some technology groups that are contending directly with Chinese competition expressed misgivings.

"The Trump Administration is right to push back against China's abuse of economic and trade policy," said Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation think tank.

But he said the proposed US tariffs "would hurt companies in the US by raising the prices and reducing consumption of the capital equipment they rely on to produce their goods and services."

"The focus should be on things that will create the most leverage over China without raising prices and dampening investment in the kinds of machinery, equipment, and other technology that drives innovation and productivity across the economy," Mr Atkinson added.

Rural America has also been worried about the risk of a trade war, as farmers are especially vulnerable targets due to their reliance on export sales.

AP/Reuters