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Donald Trump’s newest warning to enforce an additional 100% tariff on products from China has been labeled a “classic case” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the China’s leadership.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry additionally remarked that Beijing could enact its own unrevealed “responsive actions” if the American leader executes his warning, noting that the country was “not afraid” of a potential commercial battle.

On Friday, Donald Trump retaliated at the Chinese government’s action to strengthen its regulations for overseas sales of critical elements, charging Beijing of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the international market “hostage”.

Furthermore, he vowed to pull out of a arranged meeting with China’s President Xi, which was expected to take place during a conference in the Republic of Korea later this month.

His statements on last Friday unsettled global markets, with the S&P 500 share index falling by nearly three percent, marking its largest decline since last spring.

These statements revived apprehensions of a trade conflict between the United States and China.

Earlier this year, the two sides had agreed to remove high import duties on each other’s imports, which had led to concerns of commerce ceasing between the two countries.

Consequently, United States levies on products from China facing an additional thirty percent tariff compared with the beginning of 2025, while items from the United States entering the country face a ten percent duty.

The most recent comments from China – published by the Ministry of Commerce in the manner of written responses to press queries – mirrored terminology from the zenith of the latest commercial tensions.

The remarks condemned American limits on exports on chips and semi-conductors while defending the country’s own overseas sale regulations on rare earths as “routine measures” to protect domestic safety and that of every country.

Their representative said that for “a long time”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of national security, abused foreign shipment regulations and “enforced” discriminatory practices against Beijing.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the correct approach to deal with China,” their representative commented.

“The nation’s view” on a trade conflict has always been unchanging: we are not seeking one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Last week, China revealed it was reinforcing overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and further resources vital for high-technology production.

This was seen as a key move, as the nation refines about the vast majority of the global rare earth supply, which are employed in items such as photovoltaic modules and mobile phones.

Latest statements from Washington and Beijing are being interpreted by some as a strategy of bolstering negotiating stances in preparation for future trade talks.

It is unclear whether a summit between Donald Trump and President Xi, planned at a high-level meeting in Seoul in the coming weeks, will take place as planned.