President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that a trade war with the United States would result in "no winners", ahead of next month's inauguration of US president-elect Donald Trump.

During a meeting with heads of major international economic organisations in Beijing, Xi said he hopes the US will work with China to push bilateral relations towards a steady, healthy and sustainable direction.

"Tariff wars, trade wars and sci-tech wars go against the trend of history and the laws of economics, and there will be no winners," he said.

The president said Beijing is willing to maintain dialogue, expand cooperation and manage differences with Washington.

Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on goods from China, Canada and Mexico after he takes office, raising fears of a trade war.

Xi also said China has full confidence in achieving this year's economic growth target and in continuing to play the role of the world's largest engine of economic growth.

Beijing has set a 2024 GDP growth target of around 5 percent. (Xinhua and agencies)