China has threatened to retaliate against US sanctions seen as an attempt to restrict international trade by the Chinese technology giant Huawei.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Beijing opposed countries imposing unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies and would take action.

The Trump administration on Wednesday effectively blocked Huawei products from being used in US networks.

The order does not name any company, but is believed to target Huawei.

Huawei denies its products pose a security threat and says it is ready to engage with the US.

Beijing accused President Trump of engaging in industrial sabotage by using state security as “as a pretext for suppressing foreign business”.

“We urge the US to stop this practice and instead create better conditions for business co-operation,” Mr Lu said. He did not give any details over how China planned to retaliate.

The confrontation over Huawei comes amid a broader trade war between the US and China, with both sides imposing aggressive tariffs on imports.

Writing in the Evening Standard on Wednesday, Liu Xiaoming, China’s ambassador to the UK, said China did not want a trade war but was “not afraid of one and would fight one if necessary”.

“China is always open for talks but it would fight to the end should a ‘trade war’ break out," he wrote. (BBC)