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Donald Trump’s latest warning to enforce an further complete levy on Chinese goods has been called a “classic case” of United States’ contradictory behavior, per the China’s leadership.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry additionally remarked that Beijing could introduce its own unspecified “retaliatory steps” if the US President carries out his threat, adding that the country was “unafraid” of a looming trade conflict.

Last Friday, Donald Trump hit back at Beijing’s move to strengthen its regulations for exports of rare earth minerals, charging China of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

Additionally, he warned to pull out of a scheduled meeting with Beijing’s head of state President Xi, which was arranged for a meeting in South Korea in the coming weeks.

His statements on last Friday rattled stock exchanges, with the S&P 500 dropping over two and a half percent, marking its steepest fall since last spring.

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

Earlier this year, the two sides had reached an agreement to drop significant levies on each other’s imports, which had created the possibility of trade halting between the two nations.

This left, American import duties on Chinese goods subject to an additional import tax compared with the beginning of 2025, while items from the United States entering China are subject to a import levy.

The most recent comments from China – released by the Ministry of Commerce in the form of official answers to journalist’s questions – mirrored terminology from the height of the latest commercial tensions.

Officials denounced United States controls on semiconductors and chips while justifying China’s own export controls on key elements as “normal actions” to ensure national security and that of all nations.

The official remarked that for “many years”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of state security, misused overseas sale restrictions and “implemented” unfair treatments against Beijing.

“Resorting to trade levy ultimatums is not the proper method to engage with the Chinese government,” the official said.

“Beijing’s stance” on a tariff war has consistently been steady: we do not want one, but we are unafraid of one.”

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

This was seen as a key move, as the country handles about the vast majority of the planet’s critical minerals, which are utilized in goods such as renewable energy components and handheld devices.

Latest statements from both governments are being viewed by observers as a method of enhancing bargaining power ahead of forthcoming discussions.

It is unclear whether a meeting between Trump and President Xi, scheduled at a conference in South Korea in the coming weeks, will take place as planned.