The White House has accused more than 40 countries of helping China circumvent US tariffs by allowing Chinese goods to be routed through places with lower American import duties. The allegation is likely to intensify trade tensions ahead of a planned September meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, while raising concerns for countries closely integrated with Chinese supply chains.

The report named Canada, India, Mexico, Japan and South Korea, claiming that between $30bn (£22bn) and about $300bn in goods may have been rerouted. It alleges that some goods were repackaged to conceal their origin, while China rejected the tariff measures and warned against harming third parties. The US says it is using artificial intelligence to identify transshipment, although some shifts in trade flows may reflect legitimate production relocation.