The U.S. produce items China is targetting in its latest tariff round are largely frozen fruits and vegetables

China on Friday announced it was planning to implement US$60 billion of tariffs on a range of items, with a varying rate for the different products.

The duties are in retaliation for the US$200 billion of duties the U.S. has announced it will soon implement on Chinese goods at a 10 - 25% rate.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement it could add duties of 5, 10, 20 or 25 percent on 5,207 types of U.S. imports, while warning it could adopt further countermeasures at any time.

The produce items to be hit by the new tariffs include:

25% -  frozen peas, frozen spinach, citrus or melon peel 

20% - other types of fresh or canned vegetables, frozen strawberries

10% - frozen potatoes

5% - (no produce items were shown on this tariff bracket)

The Chinese Commerce Ministry described its tiered tariffs as a "rational and restrained" response to the U.S. duties it may implement next month.

"The implementation date of the taxation measures will be subject to the actions of the U.S., and China reserves the right to continue to introduce other countermeasures," it said.

China has already hit major U.S. fresh fruit imports with two waves of tariffs over recent months, with cherries and apples now facing a 50% tariff going into the market.