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Trump’s newest warning to enforce an additional full import duty on products from China has been called a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, per the Beijing administration.

A representative of the ministry additionally remarked that Beijing could implement its own undisclosed “responsive actions” if the US President executes his pledge, noting that the country was “fearless” of a possible trade conflict.

This past Friday, Trump hit back at Beijing’s move to strengthen its regulations for foreign shipments of rare earth minerals, accusing China of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the world “captive”.

Additionally, he threatened to withdraw from a planned talks with Beijing’s head of state President Xi, which was arranged for a summit in South Korea in the coming weeks.

Trump’s comments on last Friday unsettled financial markets, with the S&P 500 share index falling by over two and a half percent, marking its largest decline since last spring.

These statements reignited concerns of a trade conflict between the two economic giants.

In May, the two sides had reached an agreement to eliminate significant levies on each other’s products, which had raised the prospect of bilateral trade stopping between the two countries.

As a result, US tariffs on Chinese goods facing an added thirty percent tariff compared with the start of the year, while US goods entering China incur a import levy.

Beijing’s recent statements – released by the Commerce Ministry in the manner of formal replies to press queries – echoed language from the zenith of the latest commercial tensions.

The remarks condemned US export restrictions on chips and semi-conductors while justifying China’s own restrictions on exports on rare earths as “normal actions” to safeguard state interests and that of every country.

Their representative remarked that for “many years”, the United States had “broadened the definition” of national security, abused overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” biased policies against the Chinese nation.

“Using” import duty warnings is not the proper method to engage with China,” their representative commented.

“Beijing’s stance” on a trade conflict has consistently been steady: we wish to avoid one, but we are fearless of one.”

Recently, China revealed it was reinforcing export controls on rare earth minerals and additional substances vital for cutting-edge industry.

The action was viewed as a significant step, as the state refines about 90% of the world’s rare earths, which are used in goods such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

The recent comments from Washington and Beijing are being viewed by observers as a means of strengthening positions prior to future trade talks.

It is unclear whether a meeting between the former president and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a high-level meeting in South Korea before month’s end, will still proceed.