AFP, London

Britain does not want to escalate trade wars, finance minister Rachel Reeves said Thursday after US President Donald Trump announced import tariffs on cars and auto parts.

The response came with London locked in talks with Washington over potentially securing a post-Brexit trade deal.

“We’re not at the moment in a position where we want to do anything to escalate these trade wars,” Reeves told Sky News.

“We are looking to secure a better trading relationship with the United States,” she told the broadcaster, adding that the Labour government was “in extensive talks” with the Trump administration over securing a trade deal.

Trump on Wednesday announced steep tariffs on the auto sector, provoking threats of retaliation from trading partners ahead of further promised trade levies next week.

“What we’re going to be doing is a 25 percent tariff on all cars that are not made in the United States,” Trump said, as he signed the order in the Oval Office.

The duties take effect at 12:01 am (0401 GMT) on April 3 and impact foreign-made cars and light trucks. Key automobile parts will also be hit within the month.

The UK trade body for the auto sector urged the United States and Britain to strike a deal that avoids Trump’s “disappointing” tariffs on foreign-made cars.