🔗 Share this article

Donald Trump’s newest ultimatum to enforce an additional complete levy on items imported from China has been described as a “prime illustration” of US double standards, according to the Chinese government.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry additionally remarked that the nation could implement its own unrevealed “retaliatory steps” if the White House occupant follows through on his warning, adding that the country was “unafraid” of a looming trade war.

Last Friday, Donald Trump responded at China’s decision to reinforce its policies for foreign shipments of rare earth minerals, charging the Chinese leadership of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the global community “under its control”.

He also threatened to cancel a planned talks with Beijing’s head of state President Xi, which was expected to take place during a conference in the Republic of Korea later this month.

The former president’s remarks on that day unsettled financial markets, with the S&P 500 dropping 2.7%, marking its largest decline since April.

These statements renewed apprehensions of a trade war between the two economic giants.

This past spring, the respective governments had agreed to drop high import duties on each other’s products, which had created the possibility of bilateral trade stopping between the economic powers.

Consequently, US tariffs on Chinese goods incurring an additional 30% levy compared with the year’s onset, while US goods entering the Chinese market are subject to a ten percent duty.

The most recent comments from China – published by the relevant government department in the manner of written responses to press queries – echoed rhetoric from the height of the ongoing trade dispute.

Officials denounced American limits on exports on electronic components while justifying the country’s own restrictions on exports on rare earth minerals as “standard procedures” to ensure national security and that of every country.

The official said that for “many years”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of national security, misused export control measures and “implemented” discriminatory practices against China.

“Resorting to tariff threats is not the proper method to interact with the Chinese government,” the official stated.

“The nation’s view” on a import duty dispute has consistently been unchanging: we wish to avoid one, but we are not afraid of one.”

The previous week, China declared it was tightening overseas sale regulations on key elements and other materials critical for cutting-edge industry.

This move was regarded as a significant step, as the country handles about ninety percent of the planet’s critical minerals, which are utilized in products such as photovoltaic modules and mobile phones.

Latest statements from Washington and Beijing are being interpreted by some as a strategy of bolstering negotiating stances ahead of forthcoming discussions.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between the former president and President Xi, expected at a conference in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks, will take place as planned.