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Trump’s newest warning to enforce an further full import duty on items imported from China has been labeled a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the Beijing administration.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry also stated that China could enact its own unrevealed “countermeasures” if the White House occupant executes his pledge, noting that the country was “fearless” of a potential trade conflict.

Last Friday, the former president responded at Beijing’s move to tighten its rules for overseas sales of rare earths, accusing the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the international market “captive”.

He also threatened to pull out of a scheduled summit with Beijing’s head of state Xi, which was expected to take place during a meeting in South Korea before the month ends.

The former president’s remarks on Friday rattled global markets, with the S&P 500 share index falling by over two and a half percent, marking its largest decline since last spring.

His comments renewed concerns of a commercial dispute between the US and China.

Earlier this year, the both nations had agreed to remove triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods, which had led to concerns of trade halting between the economic powers.

This left, US tariffs on products from China incurring an additional thirty percent tariff compared with the beginning of 2025, while US goods entering the country incur a ten percent duty.

The most recent comments from China – published by the Ministry of Commerce in the format of official answers to journalist’s questions – echoed rhetoric from the height of the latest commercial tensions.

They criticised American limits on exports on semiconductors and chips while defending Beijing’s overseas sale regulations on key elements as “standard procedures” to safeguard national security and that of every country.

Their representative stated that for “many years”, the US had “expanded the interpretation” of domestic safety, abused overseas sale restrictions and “implemented” discriminatory practices against China.

“Resorting to trade levy ultimatums is not the proper method to interact with Beijing,” the official stated.

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

Recently, China announced it was tightening overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and additional substances vital for high-technology production.

This move was regarded as a important measure, as the state processes about the vast majority of the planet’s critical minerals, which are used in items such as renewable energy components and smartphones.

The recent comments from the US and China are being seen by observers as a method of strengthening positions prior to future trade talks.

Remains uncertain whether a talks between the former president and President Xi, scheduled at a high-level meeting in the Republic of Korea later this month, will go ahead.