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The former US president’s newest warning to introduce an additional complete levy on Chinese goods has been called a “classic case” of United States’ contradictory behavior, as stated by the Beijing administration.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson additionally remarked that Beijing could introduce its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the White House occupant executes his threat, emphasizing that the country was “not afraid” of a possible trade war.

This past Friday, Donald Trump responded at Beijing’s move to reinforce its policies for foreign shipments of rare earth minerals, charging China of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the world “hostage”.

Furthermore, he threatened to withdraw from a planned talks with Chinese leader President Xi, which was expected to take place during a summit in Seoul in the coming weeks.

Trump’s comments on Friday shook financial markets, with the S&P 500 closing down 2.7%, marking its largest decline since last spring.

His comments renewed apprehensions of a trade conflict between the US and China.

In May, the both nations had consented to drop significant levies on each other’s imports, which had led to concerns of trade halting between the two nations.

Consequently, American import duties on Chinese imports subject to an extra 30% levy compared with the start of the year, while items from the United States entering the country incur a 10% tariff.

China’s latest remarks – released by the Ministry of Commerce in the manner of formal replies to press queries – reflected rhetoric from the height of the ongoing trade dispute.

The remarks condemned American limits on exports on chips and semi-conductors while defending the country’s own restrictions on exports on rare earth minerals as “normal actions” to ensure domestic safety and that of every country.

The official said that for “a long time”, the US had “overstretched the concept of state security, exploited overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” biased policies against Beijing.

“Resorting to trade levy ultimatums is not the proper method to deal with China,” the official commented.

“The nation’s view” on a import duty dispute has always been steady: we wish to avoid one, but we are not afraid of one.”

Last week, Beijing declared it was tightening export controls on rare earth minerals and other materials essential to cutting-edge industry.

This move was regarded as a key move, as the nation processes about the vast majority of the planet’s critical minerals, which are employed in items such as photovoltaic modules and mobile phones.

New remarks from the US and China are being interpreted by analysts as a means of strengthening positions in preparation for upcoming negotiations.

Is not yet known whether a summit between Trump and China’s leader, planned at a conference in South Korea later this month, will take place as planned.