🔗 Share this article

Trump’s most recent threat to introduce an additional full import duty on products from China has been called a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the Chinese government.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry further commented that the nation could implement its own undisclosed “retaliatory steps” if the US President carries out his threat, noting that the country was “unafraid” of a looming trade conflict.

Last Friday, Donald Trump responded at Beijing’s move to reinforce its policies for overseas sales of rare earths, accusing the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the world “under its control”.

Additionally, he threatened to pull out of a arranged summit with China’s President Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a summit in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks.

The former president’s remarks on last Friday shook financial markets, with the S&P 500 falling by 2.7%, marking its steepest fall since April.

The president’s words revived fears of a commercial dispute between the US and China.

In May, the respective governments had reached an agreement to drop triple-digit tariffs on each other’s imports, which had raised the prospect of trade halting between the two nations.

This left, US tariffs on Chinese goods facing an added thirty percent tariff compared with the beginning of 2025, while American products entering the Chinese market are subject to a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – issued by the relevant government department in the form of official answers to press queries – reflected rhetoric from the peak of the latest commercial tensions.

They criticised American limits on exports on chips and semi-conductors while defending China’s own export controls on key elements as “routine measures” to ensure national security and that of all nations.

The official remarked that for “many years”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of state security, exploited foreign shipment regulations and “enforced” discriminatory practices against the Chinese nation.

“Using” trade levy ultimatums is not the right way to deal with the Chinese government,” the spokesperson said.

“Beijing’s stance” on a trade conflict has always been unchanging: we are not seeking one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Last week, Beijing announced it was reinforcing foreign shipment restrictions on key elements and other materials vital for high-technology production.

This was seen as a important measure, as the nation refines about the vast majority of the global rare earth supply, which are used in products such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

New remarks from Washington and Beijing are being interpreted by observers as a means of bolstering negotiating stances in preparation for forthcoming discussions.

Is not yet known whether a meeting between Trump and China’s leader, expected at a high-level meeting in the Republic of Korea later this month, will take place as planned.