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The former US president’s latest threat to enforce an further complete levy on products from China has been labeled a “typical example” of American hypocrisy, according to the Beijing administration.

A representative of the ministry further commented that the nation could introduce its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the White House occupant follows through on his warning, noting that the country was “unafraid” of a potential trade conflict.

Last Friday, Trump responded at China’s decision to tighten its policies for overseas sales of rare earth minerals, alleging Beijing of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the global community “captive”.

Furthermore, he warned to cancel a scheduled summit with China’s President Xi Jinping, which was set for a meeting in South Korea later this month.

His statements on last Friday unsettled financial markets, with the S&P 500 falling by over two and a half percent, marking its biggest drop since earlier this year.

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

Earlier this year, the two sides had reached an agreement to remove triple-digit tariffs on each other’s goods, which had led to concerns of trade halting between the economic powers.

This left, United States levies on Chinese goods incurring an extra 30% levy compared with the start of the year, while American products entering the Chinese market face a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – released by the Ministry of Commerce in the format of official answers to journalist’s questions – echoed rhetoric from the height of the latest commercial tensions.

The remarks condemned US export restrictions on semiconductors and chips while justifying China’s own restrictions on exports on rare earth minerals as “standard procedures” to safeguard domestic safety and that of every country.

The spokesperson stated that for “an extended period”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of national security, exploited overseas sale restrictions and “enforced” biased policies against the Chinese nation.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the right way to interact with Beijing,” the official commented.

“China’s position on a import duty dispute has always been steady: we do not want one, but we are not afraid of one.”

Recently, China announced it was strengthening export controls on key elements and additional substances vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This was seen as a important measure, as the state processes about the vast majority of the planet’s critical minerals, which are employed in items such as renewable energy components and mobile phones.

New remarks from the US and China are being interpreted by observers as a method of enhancing bargaining power in preparation for upcoming negotiations.

Remains uncertain whether a meeting between the former president and China’s leader, expected at a high-level meeting in the Republic of Korea later this month, will go ahead.