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Trump’s most recent warning to impose an additional 100% tariff on products from China has been called a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the China’s leadership.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry also stated that the nation could implement its own unrevealed “responsive actions” if the US President carries out his warning, emphasizing that the country was “fearless” of a possible trade conflict.

This past Friday, Donald Trump retaliated at Beijing’s move to reinforce its regulations for overseas sales of rare earth minerals, charging China of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the world “under its control”.

Furthermore, he vowed to pull out of a arranged meeting with China’s President Xi, which was arranged for a meeting in South Korea later this month.

His statements on Friday rattled global markets, with the S&P 500 share index falling by over two and a half percent, marking its biggest drop since April.

His comments renewed fears of a commercial dispute between the United States and China.

This past spring, the both nations had agreed to eliminate triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods, which had created the possibility of trade halting between the two countries.

Consequently, American import duties on products from China facing an additional 30% levy compared with the start of the year, while American products entering China are subject to a import levy.

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

The remarks condemned United States controls on chips and semi-conductors while defending China’s own overseas sale regulations on key elements as “normal actions” to safeguard domestic safety and that of all nations.

Their representative stated that for “many years”, the US had “overstretched the concept of national security, misused export control measures and “adopted unfair treatments against the Chinese nation.

“Using” trade levy ultimatums is not the right way to engage with Beijing,” the spokesperson said.

“China’s position on a tariff war has consistently been steady: we wish to avoid one, but we are fearless of one.”

The previous week, the Chinese government declared it was tightening foreign shipment restrictions on rare earth minerals and additional substances vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This was seen as a key move, as the country handles about 90% of the global rare earth supply, which are used in products such as renewable energy components and mobile phones.

New remarks from Washington and Beijing are being interpreted by observers as a means of strengthening positions ahead of forthcoming discussions.

It is unclear whether a meeting between Trump and President Xi, scheduled at a high-level meeting in the Republic of Korea later this month, will go ahead.