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Trump’s newest ultimatum to enforce an extra full import duty on Chinese goods has been called a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, per the Beijing administration.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson additionally remarked that the nation could implement its own unspecified “responsive actions” if the US President carries out his warning, emphasizing that the country was “fearless” of a potential trade conflict.

This past Friday, Donald Trump hit back at the Chinese government’s action to tighten its policies for overseas sales of rare earths, accusing the Chinese leadership of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the world “hostage”.

Additionally, he warned to withdraw from a scheduled meeting with Chinese leader Xi, which was arranged for a summit in South Korea later this month.

His statements on that day unsettled financial markets, with the S&P 500 share index falling by over two and a half percent, marking its largest decline since April.

The president’s words reignited apprehensions of a trade war between the US and China.

This past spring, the two sides had consented to eliminate triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods, which had created the possibility of bilateral trade stopping between the two nations.

This left, American import duties on Chinese imports facing an added 30% levy compared with the beginning of 2025, while items from the United States entering the Chinese market face a 10% tariff.

Beijing’s recent statements – released by the Ministry of Commerce in the manner of official answers to media inquiries – mirrored terminology from the zenith of the ongoing trade dispute.

The remarks condemned United States controls on electronic components while justifying China’s own restrictions on exports on key elements as “routine measures” to ensure national security and that of every country.

The spokesperson said that for “many years”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, exploited overseas sale restrictions and “implemented” discriminatory practices against Beijing.

“Resorting to tariff threats is not the correct approach to interact with China,” the official commented.

“China’s position on a tariff war has remained consistent: we wish to avoid one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Last week, China revealed it was reinforcing overseas sale regulations on key elements and further resources critical for advanced tech manufacturing.

This move was regarded as a key move, as the state processes about ninety percent of the planet’s critical minerals, which are utilized in items such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

New remarks from both governments are being interpreted by analysts as a strategy of strengthening positions in preparation for upcoming negotiations.

It is unclear whether a summit between Donald Trump and China’s leader, expected at a high-level meeting in South Korea before month’s end, will go ahead.