China said it would not accept "maximum pressure" from the United States and will stick to the end if the US insists on engaging in a "tariff war" amid escalating tariffs the US has imposed on goods from China.

"If the US really wants to address issues through dialogues and negotiations, it should stop its maximum pressure and stop acting outrageously," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, after reports said the US tariffs on Chinese imports now total 145 percent.

"Any dialogue must be based on equality, respect and mutual benefit," Lin said on Friday, reiterating that China does not want to fight a "tariff war" or "trade war", but is not scared of it.

"If the US is bent on waging a 'tariff war' or 'trade war', China will surely fight to the end," he said at a regular news conference.

The countermeasures China has taken against the exorbitant US tariffs against Chinese goods aim at safeguarding not only China's own legitimate interests, but also the international rules and order and the common interests of all countries, Lin said.

"In the face of the US' bullying and domineering behavior, there is no way out through compromise or concession," he said.