WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is considering imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports, probably from Feb. 1, a move expected to raise trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

"We're talking about a tariff of 10 percent on China based on the fact that they're sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada," the president told reporters, referring to the drug transported across U.S. borders that is the leading cause of overdose deaths in the nation.

On Monday, when he was inaugurated as U.S. president for the second time, Trump told reporters that he could impose 25 percent duties on imports from Canada and Mexico as early as Feb. 1., blaming the neighboring countries for not doing enough to block illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

The tariff plans targeting the three countries, which are among the top U.S. trade partners, were announced in November after Trump won the presidential election with a pledge to revive his "America First" foreign and economic policies.

At that time, he threatened tariffs targeting goods from Mexico and Canada would be effective from his first day in office, while leaving unclear when the planned extra duties on those from China would take effect.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday, "We always believe that there are no winners in trade wars and tariff wars." She suggested Beijing could take countermeasures, saying, "China has always firmly safeguarded its national interests."

Mao said China is "willing to maintain communication" with the United States to "properly handle differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development" of bilateral relations.

On the first day of his second term, Trump issued a memorandum ordering various agencies to study trade issues including U.S. trade deficits and mechanisms used in the illicit import of drugs such as fentanyl. The memorandum also ordered a review of trade ties with China and recommendations based on the findings, including tariff measures.

During his first term as president, Trump imposed massive punitive tariffs on China amid a tit-for-tat trade war.

His successor Joe Biden largely retained the tariffs and increased them on Chinese goods in sectors of strategic importance, such as semiconductors, solar cells and steel products.