MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. Russia is ready to protect its interests amid trade disputes between the United States and China, which may impact certain sectors of the global economy, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Russia has taken and will take measures to protect its own interests, especially since such steps are envisaged by the rules and regulations of the WTO," Peskov asserted.

According to the Kremlin spokesman, "everyone is keeping a close eye on a number of exclusively protectionist measures by the US and the retaliatory steps taken by various trade and economic partners, in this particular case, China."

"This will definitely have consequences for specific sectors of the global economy, and this defines our concern about it," Peskov stressed.

Trade war

On Friday, July 6, US President Donald Trump’s initiative to introduce 25% duties on imports from China to the tune of $34 bln came into effect.

As the current occupant of the White House said earlier, he undertook this initiative following illegal appropriation of US intellectual property and technologies by Chinese enterprises and Beijing’s use of unfair trade practices.

On Friday, the Chinese authorities immediately responded to Washington’s move by imposing 25% duties on imports from the United States for the similar amount.

The import duties came into effect at 12:01 Beijing time (07:01 MSK).