🔗 Share this article

Donald Trump’s most recent threat to enforce an additional 100% tariff on items imported from China has been called a “classic case” of American hypocrisy, according to the China’s leadership.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson additionally remarked that China could implement its own undisclosed “responsive actions” if the US President follows through on his pledge, noting that the country was “unafraid” of a looming trade conflict.

Last Friday, the former president responded at the Chinese government’s action to tighten its rules for overseas sales of rare earth minerals, charging Beijing of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

He also warned to withdraw from a scheduled talks with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a conference in South Korea before the month ends.

The former president’s remarks on last Friday unsettled global markets, with the S&P 500 share index closing down 2.7%, marking its largest decline since last spring.

These statements revived apprehensions of a trade conflict between the United States and China.

In May, the respective governments had consented to remove triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods, which had raised the prospect of commerce ceasing between the two nations.

As a result, US tariffs on products from China subject to an added import tax compared with the beginning of 2025, while American products entering the country are subject to a ten percent duty.

Beijing’s recent statements – published by the relevant government department in the manner of written responses to media inquiries – echoed rhetoric from the zenith of the latest commercial tensions.

The remarks condemned American limits on exports on electronic components while defending the country’s own overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals as “routine measures” to protect state interests and that of every country.

Their representative stated that for “many years”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of state security, abused foreign shipment regulations and “adopted unfair treatments against the Chinese nation.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the correct approach to interact with the Chinese government,” their representative said.

“The nation’s view” on a trade conflict has remained steady: we do not want one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Last week, the Chinese government declared it was reinforcing foreign shipment restrictions on rare earths and other materials essential to advanced tech manufacturing.

This move was regarded as a key move, as the nation handles about ninety percent of the global rare earth supply, which are employed in goods such as solar panels and smartphones.

Latest statements from the US and China are being viewed by analysts as a strategy of enhancing bargaining power ahead of future trade talks.

Remains uncertain whether a summit between the former president and China’s leader, expected at a high-level meeting in Seoul in the coming weeks, will go ahead.