China urged the United States on Thursday to "fully cancel the wrongful unilateral tariff measures" after a US federal court blocked most of President Donald Trump's sweeping levies from going into effect.

"China urges the United States to heed the rational voices from the international community and domestic stakeholders and fully cancel the wrongful unilateral tariff measures," Ministry of Commerce spokeswoman He Yongqian said.

The call came soon after the Trump administration filed an appeal against a three-judge Court of International Trade ruling earlier in the day that Trump had overstepped his authority, barring most of the restrictions announced since he took office in January. (AFP)