United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that tariffs imposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump are not meant to be "hostile" but to "reset baseline of trade" to make it fair for his country.

Rubio stated he agrees with Trump that the US has been treated badly and insisted Washington is focused on "reciprocal" measures which would ensure that the US charges other countries whatever they are charging it. He added that Trump wants to protect key industries in the US, such as steel, aluminum, auto and semiconductor, from "unfair competition" from abroad.

The US top diplomat noted that once the trade baseline is reset, Washington will be ready to engage in bilateral talks with other countries in an attempt to agree trade deals that are "fair for both sides."