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The former US president’s latest threat to impose an further full import duty on Chinese goods has been called a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, as stated by the Beijing administration.

A representative of the ministry further commented that Beijing could introduce its own undisclosed “responsive actions” if the White House occupant follows through on his pledge, adding that the country was “not afraid” of a looming trade war.

This past Friday, the former president hit back at Beijing’s move to reinforce its rules for exports of critical elements, accusing Beijing of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the international market “captive”.

Furthermore, he warned to pull out of a arranged meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a meeting in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks.

The former president’s remarks on last Friday unsettled stock exchanges, with the S&P 500 share index closing down over two and a half percent, marking its largest decline since last spring.

His comments renewed concerns of a trade war between the two economic giants.

This past spring, the both nations had agreed to remove high import duties on each other’s goods, which had raised the prospect of bilateral trade stopping between the two nations.

This left, American import duties on products from China subject to an extra thirty percent tariff compared with the beginning of 2025, while US goods entering China face a import levy.

The most recent comments from China – released by the Commerce Ministry in the format of formal replies to journalist’s questions – mirrored terminology from the zenith of the recent trade conflict.

They criticised American limits on exports on chips and semi-conductors while defending the country’s own export controls on rare earths as “standard procedures” to protect state interests and that of the global community.

Their representative remarked that for “an extended period”, the America had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, misused export control measures and “implemented” discriminatory practices against Beijing.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the proper method to deal with Beijing,” the official commented.

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

Last week, Beijing declared it was tightening foreign shipment restrictions on rare earth minerals and other materials essential to advanced tech manufacturing.

The action was viewed as a key move, as the country refines about 90% of the world’s rare earths, which are utilized in goods such as renewable energy components and handheld devices.

New remarks from Washington and Beijing are being seen by observers as a method of enhancing bargaining power ahead of forthcoming discussions.

Is not yet known whether a meeting between the former president and President Xi, scheduled at a high-level meeting in Seoul in the coming weeks, will take place as planned.