While China's leaders use their economic and political might to fight Donald Trump's trade war "to the end", its army of social media soldiers are embarking on a more humorous campaign online.

The US president's tariff blitz has seen Washington and Beijing impose eye-watering duties on imports from the other, fanning a standoff between the economic superpowers that has sparked global recession fears and sent markets into a tailspin.

Trump says his policy is a response to years of being "ripped off" by other countries and aims to bring manufacturing back to the United States, forcing companies to employ US workers.

But China's online warriors have been taking advantage of the massive strides in artificial intelligence to create memes highlighting that many of the goods bought by Americans such as shoes and smartphones are made using cheap Chinese labour.

Defiant posts have shot to the top of most-searched lists on social media, flooding platforms with patronising comments and jokes.

In one video, a Chinese internet user opens his hands to reveal what goods he buys from the United States -- nothing.

His dozens of videos railing against the United States........

© International Business Times