By William Mauldin 

Breaking News....

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump threatened to sharply escalated a trade conflict with China, asking his administration to identify $200 billion in imported goods from China to be penalized with tariffs.

Mr. Trump's move comes after Beijing announced it would retaliate in kind to planned U.S. tariffs on $50 billion in imports from China. The U.S. president's latest plans, if carried out, would likely to plunge the world's two biggest economies into a trade war.

"Unfortunately, China has determined that it will raise tariffs on $50 billion worth of United States exports," Mr. Trump said in a statement Monday evening, directing U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer to identify $200 billion more in products for tariffs of 10%.

(More to Come)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 18, 2018 20:28 ET (00:28 GMT)