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Trump’s most recent ultimatum to impose an additional 100% tariff on items imported from China has been labeled a “classic case” of United States’ contradictory behavior, as stated by the Chinese government.

A representative of the ministry additionally remarked that Beijing could implement its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the White House occupant carries out his warning, noting that the country was “unafraid” of a potential commercial battle.

This past Friday, the former president retaliated at the Chinese government’s action to tighten its regulations for overseas sales of critical elements, charging China of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the world “under its control”.

Furthermore, he vowed to pull out of a arranged meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, which was expected to take place during a meeting in South Korea before the month ends.

The former president’s remarks on Friday unsettled stock exchanges, with the S&P 500 share index closing down nearly three percent, marking its biggest drop since last spring.

The president’s words renewed concerns of a commercial dispute between the two economic giants.

This past spring, the respective governments had agreed to drop triple-digit tariffs on each other’s products, which had led to concerns of bilateral trade stopping between the two nations.

This left, American import duties on Chinese goods facing an additional import tax compared with the year’s onset, while American products entering the country are subject to a 10% tariff.

China’s latest remarks – published by the Commerce Ministry in the format of official answers to journalist’s questions – reflected language from the height of the latest commercial tensions.

They criticised American limits on exports on electronic components while defending the country’s own export controls on key elements as “normal actions” to ensure state interests and that of every country.

The spokesperson said that for “many years”, the United States had “expanded the interpretation” of domestic safety, abused foreign shipment regulations and “adopted biased policies against the Chinese nation.

“Using” import duty warnings is not the proper method to interact with Beijing,” the spokesperson commented.

“China’s position on a import duty dispute has remained steady: we are not seeking one, but we are not afraid of one.”

The previous week, Beijing revealed it was reinforcing overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and further resources vital for high-technology production.

This was seen as a key move, as the state refines about 90% of the global rare earth supply, which are employed in items such as photovoltaic modules and mobile phones.

Latest statements from the US and China are being interpreted by analysts as a means of strengthening positions prior to upcoming negotiations.

It is unclear whether a meeting between the former president and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a high-level meeting in the Republic of Korea later this month, will still proceed.