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The former US president’s newest threat to enforce an further full import duty on Chinese goods has been labeled a “prime illustration” of American hypocrisy, per the Beijing administration.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson further commented that Beijing could enact its own unrevealed “retaliatory steps” if the American leader carries out his threat, noting that the country was “fearless” of a possible trade war.

This past Friday, the former president retaliated at the Chinese government’s action to tighten its regulations for overseas sales of critical elements, accusing the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the global community “under its control”.

He also threatened to withdraw from a planned meeting with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a summit in South Korea in the coming weeks.

His statements on that day rattled financial markets, with the S&P 500 falling by nearly three percent, marking its biggest drop since last spring.

The president’s words revived concerns of a trade conflict between the US and China.

In May, the both nations had consented to remove significant levies on each other’s imports, which had raised the prospect of commerce ceasing between the two countries.

As a result, US tariffs on Chinese imports subject to an added thirty percent tariff compared with the beginning of 2025, while US goods entering the Chinese market are subject to a 10% tariff.

China’s latest remarks – released by the Ministry of Commerce in the format of formal replies to journalist’s questions – echoed terminology from the zenith of the latest commercial tensions.

The remarks condemned US export restrictions on chips and semi-conductors while supporting Beijing’s export controls on rare earths as “standard procedures” to ensure state interests and that of every country.

Their representative stated that for “an extended period”, the United States had “expanded the interpretation” of domestic safety, abused overseas sale restrictions and “implemented” discriminatory practices against the Chinese nation.

“Resorting to trade levy ultimatums is not the right way to interact with Beijing,” the spokesperson said.

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

Recently, China revealed it was strengthening overseas sale regulations on key elements and other materials critical for advanced tech manufacturing.

This move was regarded as a important measure, as the nation handles about ninety percent of the global rare earth supply, which are employed in items such as solar panels and mobile phones.

Latest statements from both governments are being interpreted by observers as a means of bolstering negotiating stances prior to upcoming negotiations.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between Donald Trump and China’s leader, planned at a high-level meeting in Seoul in the coming weeks, will still proceed.