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The former US president’s latest ultimatum to impose an extra full import duty on products from China has been called a “classic case” of United States’ contradictory behavior, as stated by the Beijing administration.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson additionally remarked that China could enact its own unrevealed “responsive actions” if the US President executes his threat, adding that the country was “not afraid” of a possible trade conflict.

On Friday, Donald Trump responded at China’s decision to tighten its policies for exports of critical elements, accusing the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the global community “captive”.

Additionally, he vowed to pull out of a arranged meeting with Chinese leader Xi, which was arranged for a meeting in Seoul in the coming weeks.

His statements on Friday shook financial markets, with the S&P 500 share index dropping over two and a half percent, marking its steepest fall since April.

These statements renewed fears of a trade war between the US and China.

Earlier this year, the respective governments had reached an agreement to eliminate high import duties on each other’s goods, which had created the possibility of trade halting between the two countries.

Consequently, US tariffs on products from China facing an extra import tax compared with the year’s onset, while US goods entering the country face a ten percent duty.

Beijing’s recent statements – released by the relevant government department in the format of formal replies to media inquiries – mirrored terminology from the height of the recent trade conflict.

They criticised United States controls on semiconductors and chips while defending China’s own restrictions on exports on key elements as “normal actions” to ensure state interests and that of every country.

The spokesperson remarked that for “an extended period”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of national security, abused overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” unfair treatments against the Chinese nation.

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

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

Recently, the Chinese government declared it was reinforcing overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and further resources vital for high-technology production.

The action was viewed as a key move, as the country refines about the vast majority of the planet’s critical minerals, which are used in products such as renewable energy components and mobile phones.

The recent comments from Washington and Beijing are being seen by some as a method of strengthening positions prior to forthcoming discussions.

It is unclear whether a talks between Donald Trump and President Xi, expected at a summit in South Korea in the coming weeks, will still proceed.