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Trump’s newest threat to enforce an additional 100% tariff on products from China has been called a “typical example” of US double standards, as stated by the Chinese government.

A representative of the ministry also stated that Beijing could introduce its own unrevealed “countermeasures” if the US President carries out his threat, noting that the country was “fearless” of a potential commercial battle.

This past Friday, the former president hit back at the Chinese government’s action to strengthen its rules for exports of critical elements, accusing Beijing of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

Furthermore, he warned to pull out of a scheduled talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a summit in Seoul later this month.

His statements on last Friday shook financial markets, with the benchmark US stock index falling by over two and a half percent, marking its biggest drop since earlier this year.

The president’s words reignited concerns of a trade conflict between the two economic giants.

Earlier this year, the two sides had reached an agreement to drop significant levies on each other’s goods, which had created the possibility of commerce ceasing between the two countries.

As a result, United States levies on Chinese imports facing an added import tax compared with the start of the year, while US goods entering China incur a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – published by the Ministry of Commerce in the form of written responses to press queries – mirrored terminology from the peak of the ongoing trade dispute.

They criticised American limits on exports on semiconductors and chips while justifying Beijing’s restrictions on exports on rare earth minerals as “routine measures” to ensure national security and that of all nations.

Their representative said that for “many years”, the America had “overstretched the concept of state security, exploited overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” biased policies against China.

“Resorting to tariff threats is not the right way to engage with the Chinese government,” their representative commented.

“China’s position on a trade conflict has always been steady: we wish to avoid one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Recently, the Chinese government declared it was tightening export controls on key elements and additional substances essential to cutting-edge industry.

The action was viewed as a significant step, as the country processes about 90% of the world’s rare earths, which are employed in products such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

New remarks from the US and China are being viewed by observers as a method of enhancing bargaining power in preparation for future trade talks.

It is unclear whether a summit between Donald Trump and China’s leader, expected at a conference in South Korea later this month, will take place as planned.