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Donald Trump’s newest warning to enforce an additional complete levy on Chinese goods has been called a “typical example” of American hypocrisy, according to the Beijing administration.

A representative of the ministry further commented that Beijing could enact its own unspecified “responsive actions” if the American leader executes his warning, emphasizing that the country was “not afraid” of a potential commercial battle.

On Friday, the former president retaliated at Beijing’s move to reinforce its rules for exports of rare earths, charging Beijing of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the global community “under its control”.

Furthermore, he threatened to cancel a arranged talks with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a conference in South Korea later this month.

The former president’s remarks on that day shook stock exchanges, with the benchmark US stock index falling by 2.7%, marking its biggest drop since last spring.

The president’s words renewed concerns of a trade conflict between the US and China.

This past spring, the both nations had reached an agreement to remove high import duties on each other’s imports, which had led to concerns of bilateral trade stopping between the two nations.

As a result, United States levies on Chinese goods subject to an additional 30% levy compared with the beginning of 2025, while items from the United States entering China are subject to a ten percent duty.

Beijing’s recent statements – released by the Ministry of Commerce in the manner of official answers to media inquiries – mirrored language from the height of the recent trade conflict.

They criticised United States controls on semiconductors and chips while justifying the country’s own restrictions on exports on rare earth minerals as “normal actions” to ensure domestic safety and that of all nations.

Their representative remarked that for “an extended period”, the US had “expanded the interpretation” of state security, misused export control measures and “implemented” biased policies against China.

“Resorting to tariff threats is not the correct approach to engage with China,” the official commented.

“Beijing’s stance” on a tariff war has remained steady: we wish to avoid one, but we are not afraid of one.”

Last week, Beijing announced it was reinforcing export controls on rare earths and additional substances essential to advanced tech manufacturing.

This move was regarded as a important measure, as the nation refines about ninety percent of the global rare earth supply, which are used in goods such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

New remarks from both governments are being seen by analysts as a strategy of enhancing bargaining power ahead of forthcoming discussions.

Is not yet known whether a talks between the former president and Xi Jinping, expected at a conference in South Korea later this month, will take place as planned.