(Yicai Global) May 10 -- China will take necessary countermeasures after the U.S. imposed additional tariffs on Chinese goods, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday.

The announcement came as a tariff hike on 200 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese goods came into effect.

"The 11th round of China-U.S. high-level economic and trade consultations is under way. China hopes the two countries can meet each other halfway and make joint efforts to solve the existing problems through cooperation and consultation," read the statement.