According to a report by Reuters, China's state media has stressed that the nation has never surrendered to external pressure and is capable of winning a trade war against the United States, after the world's two largest economies targeted each other with steep tariffs. The United States’ proposed list of $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods is aimed at forcing Beijing to address what Washington claims is deeply entrenched theft of U.S. intellectual property and forced technology transfer from U.S. companies. The official Xinhua news agency said late on Wednesday, "China will not be afraid or back down if a trade war is unavoidable. The country has never surrendered to external pressure, and it will not surrender this time either."