Kenya could become a secondary casualty of the ongoing trade wars between the United States and China, whose economic conflict is turning into a battle of egos.

On Wednesday, March 5, the Chinese Embassy in the US made a huge statement, saying China is "ready to fight a war if that is what the United States wants", a reaction that comes amid President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Trump's new administration moved to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on Chinese goods on top of the 10 per cent already in place, with the new tariffs taking effect on Tuesday.

Mexico and Canada were also slapped with hefty tariffs, highlighting the US's intent to penalise economies it perceives as adversaries.