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Trump’s most recent warning to impose an additional 100% tariff on items imported from China has been described as a “classic case” of American hypocrisy, as stated by the Chinese government.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson additionally remarked that China could enact its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the American leader follows through on his warning, emphasizing that the country was “fearless” of a looming trade war.

This past Friday, the former president hit back at China’s decision to tighten its policies for foreign shipments of rare earth minerals, accusing the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the global community “under its control”.

Furthermore, he vowed to pull out of a arranged meeting with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a summit in South Korea later this month.

The former president’s remarks on that day rattled stock exchanges, with the benchmark US stock index closing down 2.7%, marking its biggest drop since April.

These statements revived fears of a trade conflict between the US and China.

This past spring, the two sides had agreed to drop significant levies on each other’s goods, which had created the possibility of commerce ceasing between the economic powers.

As a result, United States levies on Chinese imports facing an additional thirty percent tariff compared with the start of the year, while US goods entering the Chinese market incur a import levy.

China’s latest remarks – published by the Commerce Ministry in the form of official answers to journalist’s questions – echoed terminology from the peak of the recent trade conflict.

Officials denounced US export restrictions on electronic components while supporting Beijing’s export controls on key elements as “standard procedures” to protect domestic safety and that of all nations.

The official said that for “a long time”, the US had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, misused export control measures and “enforced” unfair treatments against China.

“Using” import duty warnings is not the correct approach to interact with the Chinese government,” their representative commented.

“China’s position on a tariff war has remained consistent: we do not want one, but we are unafraid of one.”

The previous week, Beijing declared it was strengthening foreign shipment restrictions on key elements and other materials vital for high-technology production.

The action was viewed as a significant step, as the state refines about the vast majority of the world’s rare earths, which are employed in products such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

The recent comments from the US and China are being viewed by observers as a strategy of strengthening positions ahead of future trade talks.

Remains uncertain whether a talks between Donald Trump and President Xi, scheduled at a conference in South Korea in the coming weeks, will go ahead.