Dhaka, Feb. 2 -- US President Donald Trump on Saturday ordered sweeping tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China, demanding they stanch the flow of fentanyl - and illegal immigrants in the case of Canada and Mexico - into the United States, kicking off a trade war that could dent global growth and reignite inflation.

Mexico and Canada, the top two US trading partners, immediately vowed retaliatory tariffs, while China said it would challenge Trump's move at the World Trade Organization and take other "countermeasures."

In three executive orders, Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Mexican and most Canadian imports and 10 per cent on goods from China, starting on Tuesday, reports Reuters.

He vowed to keep the duties in place unti...