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Trump’s newest warning to impose an additional 100% tariff on products from China has been called a “typical example” of US double standards, as stated by the China’s leadership.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson further commented that the nation could implement its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the American leader follows through on his pledge, emphasizing that the country was “unafraid” of a potential trade war.

This past Friday, the former president responded at the Chinese government’s action to strengthen its regulations for foreign shipments of critical elements, charging Beijing of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

He also vowed to withdraw from a arranged meeting with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was expected to take place during a summit in Seoul later this month.

The former president’s remarks on Friday unsettled financial markets, with the S&P 500 closing down 2.7%, marking its largest decline since last spring.

These statements renewed apprehensions of a trade war between the two economic giants.

This past spring, the respective governments had agreed to remove high import duties on each other’s goods, which had raised the prospect of trade halting between the two nations.

This left, United States levies on Chinese imports facing an added 30% levy compared with the beginning of 2025, while US goods entering China face a 10% tariff.

China’s latest remarks – released by the Ministry of Commerce in the form of formal replies to media inquiries – reflected language from the height of the ongoing trade dispute.

The remarks condemned United States controls on chips and semi-conductors while supporting Beijing’s overseas sale regulations on key elements as “normal actions” to safeguard state interests and that of all nations.

Their representative said that for “many years”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, misused export control measures and “implemented” biased policies against the Chinese nation.

“Using” trade levy ultimatums is not the right way to deal with the Chinese government,” the spokesperson commented.

“China’s position on a trade conflict has always been steady: we wish to avoid one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Last week, China declared it was reinforcing overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and additional substances critical for advanced tech manufacturing.

The action was viewed as a important measure, as the state refines about 90% of the global rare earth supply, which are used in items such as photovoltaic modules and handheld devices.

The recent comments from the US and China are being seen by some as a strategy of strengthening positions prior to future trade talks.

Remains uncertain whether a summit between Trump and Xi Jinping, planned at a summit in Seoul later this month, will go ahead.