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Trump’s latest warning to enforce an additional full import duty on products from China has been called a “prime illustration” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the Beijing administration.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson further commented that the nation could implement its own undisclosed “countermeasures” if the White House occupant follows through on his warning, emphasizing that the country was “fearless” of a possible trade conflict.

On Friday, the former president retaliated at Beijing’s move to tighten its regulations for foreign shipments of critical elements, charging Beijing of “adopting a confrontational stance” and attempting to hold the international market “hostage”.

Furthermore, he vowed to pull out of a scheduled summit with Beijing’s head of state Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a conference in Seoul later this month.

The former president’s remarks on Friday rattled stock exchanges, with the S&P 500 dropping nearly three percent, marking its biggest drop since earlier this year.

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

Earlier this year, the two sides had consented to eliminate high import duties on each other’s products, which had led to concerns of commerce ceasing between the two nations.

This left, United States levies on Chinese goods incurring an additional import tax compared with the start of the year, while items from the United States entering China are subject to a 10% tariff.

Beijing’s recent statements – published by the Ministry of Commerce in the format of written responses to media inquiries – echoed language from the peak of the recent trade conflict.

They criticised American limits on exports on electronic components while defending the country’s own export controls on rare earth minerals as “routine measures” to protect state interests and that of all nations.

Their representative stated that for “an extended period”, the America had “overstretched the concept of domestic safety, misused export control measures and “enforced” unfair treatments against the Chinese nation.

“Using” tariff threats is not the right way to interact with China,” the official said.

“The nation’s view” on a import duty dispute has consistently been unchanging: we do not want one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Recently, Beijing revealed it was strengthening foreign shipment restrictions on rare earth minerals and other materials vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This move was regarded as a important measure, as the state refines about the vast majority of the world’s rare earths, which are used in items such as photovoltaic modules and mobile phones.

Latest statements from the US and China are being viewed by some as a means of strengthening positions in preparation for forthcoming discussions.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, expected at a conference in South Korea before month’s end, will take place as planned.