China's leaders have shrugged off the potential impact from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, saying they have the tools needed to protect jobs and limit damage from higher tariffs on Chinese exports.

Chinese policymakers on Monday sought to assuage concerns the broad U.S. tariffs could derail efforts to shore up a fragile economic recovery, even as analysts warn the hefty levies raise the risk of a sharp downturn in growth.

China is facing a double whammy: corrosive deflation and tariffs that threaten to block trade. Chinese workers will be the biggest casualties.