🔗 Share this article

Trump’s latest threat to impose an further complete levy on Chinese goods has been labeled a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, as stated by the Chinese government.

A representative of the ministry additionally remarked that Beijing could implement its own unrevealed “responsive actions” if the American leader carries out his threat, adding that the country was “not afraid” of a potential commercial battle.

On Friday, Trump responded at Beijing’s move to tighten its policies for foreign shipments of rare earth minerals, charging the Chinese leadership of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the world “under its control”.

Additionally, he threatened to withdraw from a scheduled meeting with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was set for a summit in the Republic of Korea before the month ends.

His statements on that day unsettled financial markets, with the S&P 500 dropping over two and a half percent, marking its biggest drop since April.

These statements revived apprehensions of a commercial dispute between the US and China.

In May, the two sides had reached an agreement to drop triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods, which had created the possibility of bilateral trade stopping between the economic powers.

Consequently, US tariffs on Chinese goods subject to an added import tax compared with the beginning of 2025, while American products entering China incur a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – published by the Commerce Ministry in the manner of official answers to media inquiries – mirrored rhetoric from the zenith of the ongoing trade dispute.

Officials denounced United States controls on chips and semi-conductors while supporting China’s own overseas sale regulations on rare earths as “normal actions” to ensure national security and that of the global community.

The official stated that for “a long time”, the US had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, misused foreign shipment regulations and “enforced” unfair treatments against China.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the correct approach to interact with Beijing,” their representative stated.

“Beijing’s stance” on a trade conflict has remained unchanging: we wish to avoid one, but we are not afraid of one.”

The previous week, the Chinese government declared it was strengthening export controls on rare earth minerals and additional substances vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This was seen as a significant step, as the state processes about the vast majority of the world’s rare earths, which are employed in products such as solar panels and handheld devices.

New remarks from both governments are being seen by analysts as a strategy of bolstering negotiating stances prior to forthcoming discussions.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, expected at a high-level meeting in Seoul later this month, will still proceed.