Beijing's tariffs on certain US agricultural goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump's latest hike on Chinese imports came into force Monday, as trade tensions mount between the world's two leading economies.

Tariffs are just one piece of a broader strategy aimed at curbing the growth of the world's second-largest economy and containing its geopolitical expansion.

The leaders of both Canada and Mexico got on the phone with President Donald Trump this past week to seek solutions after he slapped tariffs on their countries, but China’s president appears unlikely to make a similar call soon.

The inconsistent trade policy coming from Washington leaves Beijing with no clear path to take to get out of the crosshairs. That leaves retaliation as the most likely response.

China’s reliance on trade for growth faces fresh challenges as the United States and many other countries have raised tariffs on Chinese goods.

Beijing, which set steep duties on canola, peas and pork, wants Canada and Mexico to resist U.S. pressure to raise tariffs on Chinese goods.

China is prepared for an escalating trade war with the United States, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said on Thursday. "Coercion and blackmail will not work on China, nor will intimidation," he said, vowing that Beijing would defend its interests.

China threatened that it is "ready" for a "tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war" after Trump's administration doubled tariffs.