Chinese leader Xi Jinping has said his nation is “not afraid” in his first public comments on the escalating trade war with the US that has tanked international markets and fueled fears of a global recession.

9 April: Custom tariffs on roughly 60 countries - dubbed the worst offenders - come into effect. Trump then announces a 90-day pause for all countries, except China, with a universal 10% tariff across the board. China's tariffs are hiked to 125%