Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg on Friday heavily criticized the US administration's growing trade protectionist measures warning that they could lead to "regression, war and conflict."
"A global trade war and growing protectionism are the last thing the world needs now," Solberg said at the Conservative Party's annual national conference in Gardermoen, north of Oslo.
The concern came after the United States unilaterally decided to impose heavy tariffs on Chinese products, with the aim of starting a trade war.
Earlier this week, the US Trade Representative (USTR) proposed to impose an additional 25% tariff on US $ 50 billion of imports from China. It was followed by Trump who said last Thursday that he asked the USTR to consider slapping additional tariffs on Chinese products worth $ 100 billion.
Solberg said the US appears to be "the biggest threat" to free trade while China is acting as one of the "main defenders".
Trade and cooperation are important not only for countries trying to lift their populations out of poverty, but also for developed countries like Norway, because trade protectionism will make it more difficult to achieve sustainable goals, he said.
"Norway will be a driving force for ongoing free and fair world trade," he said, warning that "historically, periods of extensive protectionism have led to regression, war and conflict."
On March 23, Norway asked the United States to abide by World Trade Organization rules as it was part of the new US tariffs on steel and aluminum.
The Trump administration last month imposed a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum, causing criticism and outrage from around the world.