Beijing: The Chinese government has accused the Trump Administration of bullying, as $US200 billion ($275 billion) in punitive tariffs were imposed on thousands of Chinese goods and Beijing retaliated with $US60 billion in tariffs on Monday.

Within hours of the tariffs being triggered, China's State Council released a White Paper blaming the White House for quickly escalating the trade dispute with contradictory behaviour and causing serious damage to economic relations between the two countries, as well as "posing a grave threat to the multilateral trading system".

But the blast from Beijing came as US political news website Axios reported that the White House was preparing to go further, and would launch an "administration wide" broadside against China spearheaded by US National Security Council officials.

The State Council accused the Trump Administration of "abandoning the fundamental norms of mutual respect and equal consultation that guide international relations" since coming to office in 2017 as it pursued an America First trade policy.

"It has brazenly preached unilateralism, protectionism and economic hegemony, making false accusations against many countries and regions, particularly China, intimidating other countries through economic measures such as imposing tariffs, and attempting to impose its own interests on China through extreme pressure," the report said.