The trade conflict between China and the US has not shown any signs of easing. On Thursday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce held a press conference and issued an official statement slamming the trade war waged by the Trump administration. Yang Zhao has the details.

The cloud above China-US trade is getting darker. High-level discussions over trade between the world's two largest economies have stalled since June. Yesterday, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Commerce suggested that the trust between the two has not been built yet.

GAO FENG, SPOKESPERSON CHINESE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE "China has reiterated that TRUST was a precondition for trade negotiations with the US. As far as I know, the two sides have not had contact on restarting negotiations."

The strong rhetoric could also be felt from a statement released by the ministry later last night. In the statement, Beijing accused the US of slandering China by saying the country was gaining advantages through unfair trade practice. Beijing says all problems in the US economy are caused by the US instead of other countries.

GAO FENG, SPOKESPERSON CHINESE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE "The combination of China's low cost labor and foreign capital and technology has boosted China's economic development and also made a huge fortune for foreign companies. All cooperation is a voluntary act based on a commercial contract. With all those years passing by and great fortunes made for those foreign companies, accusing China of forcing technology transfers and stealing Intellectual Property is a distortion of history, destruction of commercial credit and violation of the Spirit of the Contract."

The statement also mentioned China's efforts to promote the resolution of differences, including through talks back in May between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. But those talks stalled following the US's flip-flop on tariffs and trade.

Beijing said the US trade war is "without a legal basis at all" and China is not the only victim, given that Trump's trade bullying has spread to other parts of the world including to many US allies. The statement says Beijing does "not want a trade war" but is "not afraid of one".

GAO FENG, SPOKESPERSON CHINESE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE "China resolutely opposes the US's bullying behavior on trade and will have no choice but to strike back."

Gao did not provide details of China's plan. At the end of the statement, Beijing vowed to stay firm in its opening-up policy and protecting property rights "no matter how things change outside".