China responded vigorously in state media on Saturday after the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump said it would impose tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese imports, but some commentary left room for further negotiations.

Late on Friday, China said it would impose additional 25 percent tariffs on 659 U.S. goods worth $50 billion, in response to the U.S. imposition of tariffs.

"The wise man builds bridges, the fool builds walls," the official Xinhua news agency said in an editorial, echoing official comments that China would defend its interests in a trade war.

"Following the path of expanding and opening up is China's best response to the trade dispute between China and the United States, and is also the responsibility that major countries should have to the world," it added.

An editorial in the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily condemned what it called the Trump administration's "obsession with playing the disgraceful role of global economic disruptor".

It added, "There is no winner in a trade war, and the U.S. instigation of a trade war is extremely destructive to global trade, economic globalization, multilateral trade systems and global production supply chains.