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Trump’s most recent threat to enforce an further 100% tariff on items imported from China has been called a “prime illustration” of American hypocrisy, per the China’s leadership.

A representative of the ministry further commented that the nation could introduce its own unspecified “retaliatory steps” if the White House occupant carries out his threat, adding that the country was “unafraid” of a potential trade war.

On Friday, Trump retaliated at the Chinese government’s action to strengthen its rules for exports of critical elements, charging China of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the world “under its control”.

He also vowed to cancel a scheduled meeting with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a conference in South Korea in the coming weeks.

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

These statements renewed concerns of a trade conflict between the United States and China.

Earlier this year, the both nations had agreed to remove high import duties on each other’s goods, which had led to concerns of bilateral trade stopping between the two nations.

As a result, American import duties on Chinese goods facing an added 30% levy compared with the start of the year, while US goods entering the Chinese market incur a 10% tariff.

The most recent comments from China – released by the Commerce Ministry in the form of official answers to press queries – mirrored terminology from the zenith of the latest commercial tensions.

The remarks condemned American limits on exports on electronic components while defending China’s own export controls on key elements as “normal actions” to protect national security and that of every country.

Their representative stated that for “many years”, the America had “overstretched the concept of state security, misused export control measures and “implemented” biased policies against Beijing.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the proper method to deal with the Chinese government,” the spokesperson stated.

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

Recently, China announced it was reinforcing export controls on rare earth minerals and additional substances essential to high-technology production.

This move was regarded as a significant step, as the country refines about ninety percent of the global rare earth supply, which are employed in items such as renewable energy components and smartphones.

The recent comments from the US and China are being viewed by observers as a method of bolstering negotiating stances ahead of forthcoming discussions.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between the former president and President Xi, expected at a summit in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks, will take place as planned.