*CHINA'S RESPONSE TO US TRADE PROBES*

FEARS of a global trade war have risen after Trump imposed hefty import tariffs on steel and aluminium earlier this month under -

Section 232 of the 1962 US Trade Expansion Act, which allows safeguards based on ''national security''.

CHINA will actively take steps to safeguard its interests as well as those of its industries, Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said, in a light of-

What he described as acts of trade protectionism on the part of the United States.

The US decision to launch trade investigations is a unilateral act of protectionism, the Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, siting a speech by Wang in New Delhi.

President Donald Trump is expected to unveil up to $60 billion in new tariffs on Chinese imports by last Friday targeting technology and telecommunications and intellectual property .

Thetariff's will be imposed under Section 301 and 1974 US. Trade Act, following an intellectual property probe that began in August last year.

NOT SCARED of a trade war : Speaking at a daily news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying reiterated that China would back if needed.

''Chine does not want to fight a trade war with anyone. But if someone forces us to fight one, we will neither be scared nor hide,'' Hua said.

''If, in the end, the United States takes actions that harm China's interests then China will have to take resolute and necessary steps to respond to protect our legitimate interests.''

Expectations of Tariffs on some Chinese goods have alarmed a dozens of US business groups, who said -

They would raise prices for consumers, kill jobs and drive down financial markets. [Agencies].