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Donald Trump’s newest warning to introduce an additional full import duty on products from China has been described as a “typical example” of American hypocrisy, according to the China’s leadership.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson additionally remarked that the nation could enact its own unspecified “retaliatory steps” if the White House occupant follows through on his warning, emphasizing that the country was “not afraid” of a looming commercial battle.

Last Friday, Trump retaliated at China’s decision to tighten its rules for overseas sales of rare earths, alleging Beijing of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the world “under its control”.

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

The former president’s remarks on that day rattled financial markets, with the benchmark US stock index closing down over two and a half percent, marking its largest decline since April.

His comments renewed apprehensions of a trade conflict between the US and China.

Earlier this year, the respective governments had reached an agreement to drop high import duties on each other’s goods, which had raised the prospect of trade halting between the two countries.

This left, US tariffs on Chinese imports incurring an extra 30% levy 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 – released by the relevant government department in the form of official answers to journalist’s questions – echoed language from the height of the ongoing trade dispute.

They criticised United States controls on chips and semi-conductors while justifying the country’s own overseas sale regulations on rare earths as “standard procedures” to safeguard national security and that of all nations.

The official said that for “many years”, the America had “broadened the definition” of national security, abused overseas sale restrictions and “implemented” biased policies against Beijing.

“Using” import duty warnings is not the right way to interact with Beijing,” their representative said.

“The nation’s view” on a import duty dispute has consistently been consistent: we do not want one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Last week, the Chinese government announced it was reinforcing overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and other materials critical for high-technology production.

This move was regarded as a significant step, as the state refines about 90% of the world’s rare earths, which are employed in items such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

The recent comments from Washington and Beijing are being viewed by analysts as a strategy of enhancing bargaining power prior to upcoming negotiations.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between the former president and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a summit in South Korea before month’s end, will take place as planned.