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The former US president’s latest threat to enforce an additional full import duty on products from China has been labeled a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, as stated by the China’s leadership.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry additionally remarked that China could introduce its own unspecified “retaliatory steps” if the White House occupant carries out his threat, emphasizing that the country was “unafraid” of a potential trade conflict.

On Friday, Trump hit back at Beijing’s move to reinforce its regulations for exports of rare earths, accusing the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the international market “hostage”.

Furthermore, he vowed to pull out of a scheduled summit with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a summit in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks.

His statements on Friday rattled global markets, with the benchmark US stock index dropping 2.7%, marking its steepest fall since earlier this year.

The president’s words reignited concerns of a trade war between the US and China.

This past spring, the both nations had reached an agreement to drop triple-digit tariffs on each other’s imports, which had created the possibility of bilateral trade stopping between the economic powers.

Consequently, US tariffs on products from China facing an additional thirty percent tariff compared with the year’s onset, while items from the United States entering China incur a 10% tariff.

China’s latest remarks – issued by the relevant government department in the format of official answers to journalist’s questions – echoed language from the peak of the ongoing trade dispute.

Officials denounced American limits on exports on electronic components while defending the country’s own overseas sale regulations on rare earths as “routine measures” to safeguard domestic safety and that of the global community.

The official stated that for “an extended period”, the US had “broadened the definition” of state security, misused export control measures and “enforced” unfair treatments against China.

“Using” trade levy ultimatums is not the right way to deal with Beijing,” their representative stated.

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

Recently, Beijing revealed it was tightening foreign shipment restrictions on rare earths and additional substances vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This move was regarded as a significant step, as the country handles about ninety percent of the global rare earth supply, which are utilized in items such as renewable energy components and smartphones.

New remarks from both governments are being interpreted by observers as a strategy of enhancing bargaining power in preparation for upcoming negotiations.

Remains uncertain whether a talks between the former president and China’s leader, planned at a summit in the Republic of Korea later this month, will take place as planned.