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The former US president’s newest ultimatum to impose an extra 100% tariff on products from China has been labeled a “typical example” of US double standards, according to the China’s leadership.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry further commented that the nation could introduce its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the American leader carries out his threat, noting that the country was “unafraid” of a looming trade war.

This past Friday, the former president retaliated at Beijing’s move to strengthen its regulations for foreign shipments of critical elements, alleging Beijing of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the world “under its control”.

Additionally, he threatened to pull out of a arranged talks with Chinese leader Xi, which was expected to take place during a summit in Seoul later this month.

Trump’s comments on last Friday shook financial markets, with the S&P 500 share index closing down nearly three percent, marking its largest decline since earlier this year.

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

This past spring, the both nations had agreed to remove high import duties on each other’s imports, which had raised the prospect of bilateral trade stopping between the two countries.

Consequently, American import duties on products from China incurring an additional 30% levy compared with the beginning of 2025, while American products entering the Chinese market are subject to a 10% tariff.

Beijing’s recent statements – released by the relevant government department in the manner of written responses to press queries – echoed terminology from the peak of the recent trade conflict.

They criticised American limits on exports on semiconductors and chips while defending the country’s own overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals as “normal actions” to protect state interests and that of all nations.

Their representative remarked that for “many years”, the America had “expanded the interpretation” of national security, exploited overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” biased policies against Beijing.

“Using” import duty warnings is not the right way to interact with China,” the official said.

“China’s position on a trade conflict has consistently been unchanging: we wish to avoid one, but we are not afraid of one.”

The previous week, China revealed it was tightening overseas sale regulations on rare earths and other materials essential to cutting-edge industry.

This was seen as a key move, as the country handles about ninety percent of the world’s rare earths, which are utilized in goods such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

New remarks from the US and China are being viewed by analysts as a strategy of enhancing bargaining power ahead of forthcoming discussions.

It is unclear whether a talks between the former president and China’s leader, planned at a summit in the Republic of Korea before month’s end, will still proceed.