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Trump’s newest warning to impose an further 100% tariff on Chinese goods has been called a “typical example” of United States’ contradictory behavior, per the China’s leadership.

A representative of the ministry further commented that Beijing could implement its own unspecified “retaliatory steps” if the White House occupant executes his threat, emphasizing that the country was “not afraid” of a potential commercial battle.

Last Friday, the former president hit back at the Chinese government’s action to reinforce its regulations for exports of critical elements, alleging China of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the international market “captive”.

He also threatened to cancel a scheduled summit with Beijing’s head of state Xi, which was arranged for a summit in Seoul in the coming weeks.

The former president’s remarks on last Friday shook stock exchanges, with the S&P 500 falling by nearly three percent, marking its largest decline since April.

His comments revived concerns of a trade conflict between the US and China.

This past spring, the both nations had consented to drop triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods, which had raised the prospect of bilateral trade stopping between the economic powers.

This left, United States levies on Chinese goods incurring an extra 30% levy compared with the start of the year, while American products entering the Chinese market incur a ten percent duty.

Beijing’s recent statements – released by the relevant government department in the format of formal replies to media inquiries – mirrored rhetoric from the peak of the recent trade conflict.

They criticised American limits on exports on semiconductors and chips while justifying the country’s own overseas sale regulations on rare earths as “routine measures” to safeguard state interests and that of all nations.

The spokesperson said that for “a long time”, the United States had “expanded the interpretation” of national security, exploited export control measures and “adopted unfair treatments against China.

“Turning to” import duty warnings is not the correct approach to interact with the Chinese government,” their representative commented.

“The nation’s view” on a trade conflict has always been consistent: we do not want one, but we are fearless of one.”

The previous week, Beijing revealed it was strengthening overseas sale regulations on key elements and further resources vital for cutting-edge industry.

This was seen as a key move, as the country processes about 90% of the world’s rare earths, which are used in products such as solar panels and smartphones.

New remarks from the US and China are being seen by some as a strategy of bolstering negotiating stances ahead of upcoming negotiations.

Is not yet known whether a talks between the former president and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a high-level meeting in South Korea in the coming weeks, will still proceed.