“China’s position on China-US economic and trade relations has been made very clear,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.

“It is surprising and pathetic to hear such ignorant and disrespectful words from this vice-president.”

Lin was responding to a media query on comments made by Vance in an interview with Fox News last Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on most trading partners – including an extra 34 per cent on Chinese imports.

Defending the levies, Vance said: “We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture.

“That is not a recipe for economic prosperity, that’s not a recipe for lower prices, and that’s not a recipe for good jobs in the United States of America.”