Beijing will lodge a protest with the World Trade Organization against the implementation of US tariffs on $16 billion worth of goods, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said Thursday.

The latest round of sanctions came into effect on Thursday. China had earlier warned it would respond in kind and hike tariffs on $16 billion in US imports.

"The US, in disregard to other opinions, raised import tariffs on $16 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent sanctions on August 23. These actions are obviously in violation of WTO principles. China has lodged a stern protest and has been forced to take countermeasures," it announced.

"To protect the mechanism of free trade and multilateralism, and our vested interests, the Chinese side will file a complaint with the WTO dispute settlement mechanism," the ministry added.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce previously stated that the US decision to impose $16 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese goods was "holding its domestic laws above international laws" and "very unreasonable."

Sputnik