China urges U.S. to show sincerity, correct behavior in trade actions

BEIJING (Reuters) - China hopes the United States will show sincerity and take steps to correct its behavior, its commerce ministry said on Thursday, after both countries slapped new tariffs on each other's goods this week in an escalating trade war.

China has been forced to take retaliatory measures against the United States and to defend its interests, ministry spokesman Gao Feng said at a weekly news briefing in Beijing.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened further retaliation against China if Beijing targets U.S. agricultural or industrial workers amid their trade dispute, and accused China of trying to sway the U.S. election by targeting farmers.

China is studying targeted measures to help foreign firms in China in response to the effects of the latest U.S. tariffs, Gao said.

(Reporting by Se Young Lee and Yawen Chen; Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Kim Coghill)