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Donald Trump’s most recent warning to enforce an further 100% tariff on products from China has been called a “prime illustration” of American hypocrisy, per the Chinese government.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson additionally remarked that Beijing could implement its own unspecified “responsive actions” if the US President executes his warning, noting that the country was “fearless” of a potential trade war.

This past Friday, Trump retaliated at China’s decision to strengthen its regulations for overseas sales of rare earth minerals, charging the Chinese leadership of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the world “under its control”.

Furthermore, he vowed to withdraw from a scheduled meeting with Chinese leader President Xi, which was expected to take place during a conference in the Republic of Korea later this month.

Trump’s comments on that day rattled financial markets, with the S&P 500 falling by 2.7%, marking its biggest drop since last spring.

The president’s words renewed fears of a commercial dispute between the two economic giants.

This past spring, the both nations had agreed to eliminate significant levies on each other’s imports, which had created the possibility of bilateral trade stopping between the two countries.

As a result, US tariffs on Chinese goods incurring an additional 30% levy compared with the year’s onset, while American products entering China incur a import levy.

The most recent comments from China – issued by the Ministry of Commerce in the format of formal replies to journalist’s questions – reflected terminology from the height of the recent trade conflict.

Officials denounced American limits on exports on semiconductors and chips while defending the country’s own export controls on rare earths as “routine measures” to safeguard national security and that of all nations.

Their representative remarked that for “many years”, the US had “expanded the interpretation” of domestic safety, abused export control measures and “implemented” biased policies against China.

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

“Beijing’s stance” on a import duty dispute has always been consistent: we do not want one, but we are unafraid of one.”

Last week, the Chinese government declared it was reinforcing export controls on rare earth minerals and further resources critical for cutting-edge industry.

This was seen as a important measure, as the country handles about the vast majority of the world’s rare earths, which are utilized in goods such as photovoltaic modules and mobile phones.

New remarks from Washington and Beijing are being seen by some as a strategy of strengthening positions prior to upcoming negotiations.

It is unclear whether a summit between Trump and Xi Jinping, planned at a high-level meeting in Seoul later this month, will still proceed.