BEIJING (Kyodo) -- China on Thursday imposed retaliatory tariffs of 84 percent on all U.S. goods after President Donald Trump raised total U.S. duties on all Chinese items to 125 percent in a further escalation of the trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The measure was unveiled Wednesday evening as Beijing warned it would "fight till the end" if the United States imposed additional trade imposts. The Asian powerhouse originally planned to slap new duties of 34 percent in response to the United States' so-called reciprocal tariffs but increased the rate in a tit-for-tat move.

Separately, China added six U.S. firms to the list of "unreliable entities" subject to sanctions due to their alleged military technology cooperation with Taiwan. The Asian country also placed 12 American entities on its export control list.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian suggested Thursday that Beijing could announce additional countermeasures, reiterating at a press conference, "If the United States is determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China's response will continue to the end."

"Lin criticized Washington for "abusing" tariffs on China while stressing that Beijing will "never accept such hegemonic and bullying moves."

He called on the United States to "show an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit" if it hopes to hold talks with Beijing, saying, "pressuring, threatening and extorting China is not the right way to deal with us."

The Chinese Commerce Ministry had called the U.S. imposition of hefty tariffs "a grave mistake on top of an existing one."

Beijing does not want a trade war but will "by no means sit by while the legitimate rights and interests of its people are being hurt and deprived," the Commerce Ministry said, adding that China will hit back "with firm will and abundant means."

Huang Jingrui, spokesman of the Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong, said that the imposition of high tariffs on China has made the United States "a barbarian of the 21st century," in a letter to the South China Morning Post, an English-language newspaper in the territory.

Referring to Trump's remarks that China "wants to make a deal" but just does not know how to get it started, Huang said, "We must solemnly tell the U.S.: a tariff-wielding barbarian who attempts to force countries to call and beg for mercy can never expect that call from China."

After Trump returned to office on Jan. 20, Washington initially imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports, accusing Beijing of failing to curb the flow of illicit drugs into the United States. The tariff rate was later doubled.

Trump had initially been scheduled to impose an extra 34 percent in reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday. But angered by China's announcement of retaliatory measures, the president eventually hiked the total tariff rate to 125 percent.

The world's second-largest economy has already introduced new tariffs of up to 15 percent on U.S. liquefied natural gas, coal, agricultural machinery and large-displacement fuel automobiles, as well as a wide range of American farm imports.

The 84 percent duties on all U.S. imports were levied on top of existing tariff rates, meaning a 99 percent tariff rate now applies to those select American items, according to the Chinese Commerce Ministry.