The White House on Saturday announced a wave of tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, marking the first major levies of President Trump’s second term and laying the groundwork for a continental trade war.

China’s Ministry of Commerce said it would file a legal case at the World Trade Organization, but signaled it still wanted a stable relationship with the U.S.

President Donald Trump on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, drawing swift retaliation and an undeniable sense of betrayal from the country's North American neighbors as a trade war erupted among the longtime allies.