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Trump’s newest warning to impose an additional complete levy on items imported from China has been labeled a “classic case” of American hypocrisy, per the China’s leadership.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry further commented that the nation could enact its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the US President follows through on his threat, emphasizing that the country was “not afraid” of a potential trade conflict.

This past Friday, Trump responded at China’s decision to strengthen its rules for exports of rare earths, charging the Chinese leadership of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the international market “captive”.

Additionally, he vowed to withdraw from a arranged talks with China’s President Xi Jinping, which was set for a summit in South Korea in the coming weeks.

Trump’s comments on that day shook stock exchanges, with the S&P 500 falling by nearly three percent, marking its steepest fall since earlier this year.

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

This past spring, the respective governments had reached an agreement to remove triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods, which had led to concerns of commerce ceasing between the two nations.

Consequently, American import duties on products from China incurring an extra 30% levy compared with the beginning of 2025, while items from the United States entering the country are subject to a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – released by the Commerce Ministry in the form of formal replies to press queries – mirrored rhetoric from the peak of the ongoing trade dispute.

The remarks condemned United States controls on chips and semi-conductors while justifying China’s own export controls on rare earths as “standard procedures” to ensure national security and that of the global community.

Their representative stated that for “a long time”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, misused export control measures and “adopted discriminatory practices against Beijing.

“Resorting to tariff threats is not the correct approach to interact with the Chinese government,” the official said.

“The nation’s view” on a tariff war has remained unchanging: we wish to avoid one, but we are fearless of one.”

Recently, China announced it was strengthening overseas sale regulations on rare earths and additional substances essential to high-technology production.

The action was viewed as a significant step, as the state refines about ninety percent of the world’s rare earths, which are utilized in goods such as photovoltaic modules and handheld devices.

Latest statements from Washington and Beijing are being viewed by analysts as a means of strengthening positions in preparation for upcoming negotiations.

It is unclear whether a meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a summit in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks, will still proceed.