A Chinese spokesman says a team from Beijing is "preparing to travel to the United States" for trade talks, suggesting negotiations might go ahead despite President Donald Trump's latest tariff threat.

The spokesman, Geng Shuang, said Monday that Beijing is "trying to get more information" following Trump's surprise announcement he might impose 25 percent tariffs on more Chinese imports. Beijing and Washington have raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each others goods in their dispute over U.S. complaints about Chinese technology ambitions.