China’s commerce ministry says Beijing is prepared to fight the US “at any cost” as a trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies escalated, with President Donald Trump ordering the US trade representative to consider slapping an additional $100 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods.

The ministry said in a statement Friday that if Washington persists in what Beijing describes as protectionism, China would “dedicate itself to the end and at any cost and will definitely fight back firmly.”

Trump’s surprise directive Thursday came a day after Beijing announced plans to tax $50 billion in American products, including soybeans and small aircraft, in response to a US move this week to slap tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports.