One of China’s top diplomats is accusing the U.S. is waging “naked economic terrorism” against Beijing.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Hanhui made the comments to reporters as the Chinese commerce ministry also said that it was ready to fight a trade war if necessary.

CGTN’s Nathan King has the latest.

Three weeks since the 11th round of trade negotiations here in Washington failed to achieve a breakthrough, there are few signs of the talks getting back on track.

The United States labeling Huawei a security threat has threatened the global leader in 5G and number two smartphone maker’s global supply chain and China is signaling it may limit exports of rare earth minerals and is reportedly slowing purchases of soybeans again. President Trump says the United States is doing well in the trade talks.

“I think we’re doing very well with China, we’ll see what happens. But I can tell you China very much wants to make a deal because the companies are leaving China to avoid the tariffs. China is becoming a very weakened nation just as Iran has become a very weakened nation and Iran wants to make a deal also,” said Donald Trump the United States President.

Comparing U.S. policy on Iran to the trade war with China reveals perhaps Washington’s approach here- Beijing certainly sees it as economic warfare. China’s Vice Foreign minister is pulling no punches.

“We oppose a trade war but are not afraid of a trade war. This kind of deliberately provoking trade disputes is naked economic terrorism, economic bullying,” said Zhang Hanhui the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister.

The Chinese commerce ministry also said that if the U.S. continues to escalate friction China would quote “accompany it to the end.”

But Chinese and U.S. journalists are speaking. In a rare, widely watched debate, reported around the world CGTN anchor Liu Xin talked to Fox News host Trish Regan in a prime time debate about the trade war. Xin said she hoped to open some eyes.

“I just want the American people to give us the benefit of the doubt, to take a moment to hear us, to think about what we really want to say, and then I also want to remind to help my compatriots, the Chinese people to understand that we don’t, we shouldn’t heat up the discussion we should cool down,” Liu Xin, CGTN anchor said.