Beijing, Mar 26 (RHC)-- China's foreign ministry Monday criticized the intention of the United States to impose tariffs worth $60 billion on imports from China and said that the era of US economic intimidation and hegemony had ended.

In response to remarks last week by US Vice President Mike Pence that the era of US "economic surrender" was over, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press conference, "It is their economic intimidation and hegemony that is over".

The US must once again start respecting the laws of the World Trade Organization in order to safeguard transparent and non-discriminatory trade, she added.

The official said that China and the US had negotiated other economic frictions in the past and that the door to talks was always open as long as they were based on mutual respect and benefit.

China has the capacity to defend its legal interests and the ball is now in the United States' court, Hua said.