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Donald Trump’s newest ultimatum to introduce an further full import duty on Chinese goods has been described as a “typical example” of US double standards, according to the China’s leadership.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson also stated that China could implement its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the White House occupant carries out his warning, adding that the country was “not afraid” of a potential trade conflict.

This past Friday, Donald Trump hit back at China’s decision to reinforce its policies for exports of rare earths, charging Beijing of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the international market “hostage”.

Additionally, he threatened to cancel a scheduled summit with China’s President Xi, which was expected to take place during a meeting in Seoul later this month.

Trump’s comments on that day rattled global markets, with the S&P 500 share index dropping 2.7%, marking its steepest fall since April.

The president’s words reignited apprehensions of a trade war between the United States and China.

Earlier this year, the both nations had consented to eliminate significant levies on each other’s goods, which had led to concerns of trade halting between the two nations.

This left, US tariffs on Chinese goods subject to an added thirty percent tariff compared with the year’s onset, while items from the United States entering China incur a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – released by the relevant government department in the format of written responses to media inquiries – mirrored terminology from the zenith of the recent trade conflict.

The remarks condemned US export restrictions on chips and semi-conductors while justifying the country’s own export controls on rare earth minerals as “normal actions” to ensure domestic safety and that of all nations.

The spokesperson said that for “many years”, the US had “overstretched the concept of state security, exploited export control measures and “adopted discriminatory practices against the Chinese nation.

“Resorting to tariff threats is not the proper method to deal with China,” the official said.

“China’s position on a tariff war has consistently been unchanging: we do not want one, but we are fearless of one.”

The previous week, the Chinese government declared it was reinforcing export controls on rare earth minerals and additional substances vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This move was regarded as a significant step, as the country handles about the vast majority of the world’s rare earths, which are used in products such as renewable energy components and mobile phones.

The recent comments from the US and China are being interpreted by analysts as a strategy of bolstering negotiating stances in preparation for forthcoming discussions.

Remains uncertain whether a talks between the former president and President Xi, planned at a high-level meeting in South Korea later this month, will still proceed.