Chinese Government Condemns America of ‘Contradictory Stances’ Concerning Tariff Threat

Donald Trump’s latest warning to enforce an further 100% tariff on products from China has been labeled a “typical example” of US double standards, per the Chinese government.

A representative of the ministry additionally remarked that China could implement its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the US President follows through on his threat, noting that the country was “unafraid” of a possible trade war.

This past Friday, Donald Trump responded at Beijing’s move to tighten its rules for exports of critical elements, accusing the Chinese leadership of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

Additionally, he threatened to pull out of a arranged summit with Beijing’s head of state President Xi, which was arranged for a summit in Seoul later this month.

The former president’s remarks on Friday shook financial markets, with the S&P 500 dropping nearly three percent, marking its steepest fall since April.

The president’s words reignited apprehensions of a commercial dispute between the US and China.

In May, the respective governments had reached an agreement to drop triple-digit tariffs on each other’s products, which had raised the prospect of commerce ceasing between the two nations.

As a result, American import duties on Chinese goods subject to an added 30% levy compared with the year’s onset, while items from the United States entering the country are subject to a 10% tariff.

China’s latest remarks – published by the Ministry of Commerce in the format of official answers to press queries – mirrored language from the peak of the recent trade conflict.

The remarks condemned US export restrictions on semiconductors and chips while supporting Beijing’s export controls on rare earth minerals as “normal actions” to ensure national security and that of the global community.

Their representative remarked that for “many years”, the US had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, misused overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” biased policies against Beijing.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the correct approach to deal with Beijing,” their representative said.

“The nation’s view” on a tariff war has remained unchanging: we are not seeking one, but we are not afraid of one.”

Recently, the Chinese government announced it was tightening overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and additional substances essential to advanced tech manufacturing.

The action was viewed as a significant step, as the nation handles about ninety percent of the global rare earth supply, which are employed in goods such as renewable energy components and handheld devices.

The recent comments from Washington and Beijing are being seen by observers as a method of strengthening positions ahead of upcoming negotiations.

It is unclear whether a meeting between the former president and China’s leader, planned at a high-level meeting in South Korea later this month, will go ahead.