🔗 Share this article

Trump’s newest warning to impose an further full import duty on items imported from China has been labeled a “classic case” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the China’s leadership.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson further commented that the nation could enact its own unspecified “retaliatory steps” if the American leader executes his pledge, adding that the country was “not afraid” of a looming commercial battle.

This past Friday, Trump retaliated at the Chinese government’s action to strengthen its policies for foreign shipments of rare earth minerals, charging China of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the global community “captive”.

He also warned to withdraw from a scheduled summit with Beijing’s head of state President Xi, which was arranged for a meeting in Seoul in the coming weeks.

His statements on Friday rattled global markets, with the S&P 500 closing down 2.7%, marking its largest decline since last spring.

These statements revived concerns of a commercial dispute between the two economic giants.

In May, the respective governments had consented to drop triple-digit tariffs on each other’s imports, which had raised the prospect of trade halting between the economic powers.

This left, United States levies on products from China incurring an extra import tax compared with the beginning of 2025, while US goods entering the Chinese market face a 10% tariff.

Beijing’s recent statements – published by the Ministry of Commerce in the form of official answers to media inquiries – mirrored language from the height of the latest commercial tensions.

Officials denounced American limits on exports on semiconductors and chips while justifying the country’s own overseas sale regulations on rare earths as “routine measures” to ensure domestic safety and that of every country.

The official remarked that for “many years”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, misused export control measures and “implemented” unfair treatments against China.

“Turning to” import duty warnings is not the right way to deal with Beijing,” their representative stated.

“Beijing’s stance” on a import duty dispute has always been unchanging: we do not want one, but we are fearless of one.”

Recently, the Chinese government announced it was tightening overseas sale regulations on rare earths and further resources vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This was seen as a significant step, as the country processes about the vast majority of the planet’s critical minerals, which are utilized in items such as renewable energy components and mobile phones.

Latest statements from the US and China are being interpreted by analysts as a means of bolstering negotiating stances ahead of upcoming negotiations.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between Trump and China’s leader, planned at a high-level meeting in South Korea later this month, will go ahead.