<span style="color: #222222;">China today said that it is impossible to hold trade talks with the United States against the backdrop of "threats and pressure". </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Speaking a day after Washington activated tariffs on 200 billion dollars worth of Chinese goods, Chinese vice commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said China is open to negotiations but the two sides must treat each other equally and with respect.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />''Mr Wang said that the US measures have made it impossible for the negotiations to proceed and blamed the US for abandoning a consensus on trade that was struck in May, but was quickly followed by new US tariffs.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />''The trade fight between the top two economic giants has steadily escalated through the summer, as the US levied two waves of new tariffs that have now hit about 250 billion dollars worth of goods, which is roughly half of China's exports to the US. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Beijing has struck back with each step, hitting 110 billion dollars worth of US goods, or nearly everything China buys from the United States.</span><br />