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The former US president’s latest warning to impose an additional full import duty on Chinese goods has been called a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the Chinese government.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry additionally remarked that China could implement its own unrevealed “responsive actions” if the White House occupant carries out his warning, adding that the country was “unafraid” of a potential trade war.

On Friday, Trump hit back at the Chinese government’s action to tighten its regulations for exports of rare earth minerals, charging the Chinese leadership of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the world “captive”.

He also threatened to withdraw from a planned talks with Chinese leader Xi, which was set for a conference in Seoul later this month.

Trump’s comments on Friday rattled stock exchanges, with the S&P 500 share index falling by 2.7%, marking its largest decline since April.

These statements reignited apprehensions of a commercial dispute between the United States and China.

This past spring, the both nations had consented to remove high import duties on each other’s products, which had created the possibility of trade halting between the economic powers.

This left, US tariffs on Chinese imports subject to an added 30% levy compared with the beginning of 2025, while items from the United States entering the country face a ten percent duty.

The most recent comments from China – released by the relevant government department in the form of written responses to media inquiries – echoed language from the height of the recent trade conflict.

The remarks condemned American limits on exports on chips and semi-conductors while supporting the country’s own restrictions on exports on rare earth minerals as “standard procedures” to safeguard domestic safety and that of the global community.

The spokesperson stated that for “a long time”, the US had “overstretched the concept of national security, exploited overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” discriminatory practices against China.

“Turning to” import duty warnings is not the correct approach to interact with China,” the official said.

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

The previous week, the Chinese government revealed it was strengthening overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and additional substances essential to cutting-edge industry.

The action was viewed as a key move, as the country handles about ninety percent of the global rare earth supply, which are used in goods such as photovoltaic modules and mobile phones.

New remarks from both governments are being seen by analysts as a strategy of strengthening positions ahead of forthcoming discussions.

It is unclear whether a summit between the former president and China’s leader, planned at a high-level meeting in South Korea later this month, will take place as planned.