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The former US president’s most recent threat to introduce an additional full import duty on items imported 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 implement its own unrevealed “retaliatory steps” if the US President executes his warning, emphasizing that the country was “fearless” of a potential trade conflict.

On Friday, Trump retaliated at Beijing’s move to strengthen its rules for overseas sales of rare earth minerals, alleging the Chinese leadership of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the global community “captive”.

Furthermore, he threatened to pull out of a scheduled meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, which was expected to take place during a summit in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks.

His statements on that day shook financial markets, with the benchmark US stock index dropping 2.7%, marking its biggest drop since April.

These statements renewed fears of a commercial dispute between the two economic giants.

This past spring, the both nations had consented to eliminate significant levies on each other’s products, which had raised the prospect of trade halting between the two countries.

Consequently, US tariffs on Chinese goods incurring an added 30% levy compared with the year’s onset, while items from the United States entering China are subject to a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – issued by the relevant government department in the manner of official answers to press queries – mirrored terminology from the height of the ongoing trade dispute.

Officials denounced US export restrictions on chips and semi-conductors while justifying China’s own restrictions on exports on rare earths as “standard procedures” to ensure national security and that of all nations.

Their representative said that for “many years”, the America had “expanded the interpretation” of national security, misused overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” unfair treatments against China.

“Resorting to trade levy ultimatums is not the correct approach to interact with the Chinese government,” the official stated.

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

Recently, Beijing declared it was reinforcing foreign shipment restrictions on rare earths and further resources critical for cutting-edge industry.

The action was viewed as a key move, as the nation refines about ninety percent of the world’s rare earths, which are employed in products such as renewable energy components and handheld devices.

The recent comments from the US and China are being viewed by observers as a strategy of bolstering negotiating stances prior to future trade talks.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between Trump and President Xi, planned at a summit in South Korea before month’s end, will go ahead.