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Donald Trump’s latest threat to enforce an further 100% tariff on products from China has been called a “prime illustration” of US double standards, according to the Beijing administration.

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson additionally remarked that the nation could enact its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the US President carries out his warning, adding that the country was “not afraid” of a potential trade conflict.

On Friday, the former president responded at China’s decision to strengthen its policies for overseas sales of rare earth minerals, charging the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the global community “captive”.

Furthermore, he threatened to cancel a planned talks with Beijing’s head of state President Xi, which was expected to take place during a summit in Seoul in the coming weeks.

His statements on that day shook financial markets, with the S&P 500 share index falling by nearly three percent, marking its largest decline since April.

His comments renewed concerns of a trade war between the two economic giants.

This past spring, the two sides had reached an agreement to drop high import duties on each other’s products, which had created the possibility of bilateral trade stopping between the economic powers.

As a result, United States levies on Chinese imports subject to an added import tax compared with the start of the year, while items from the United States entering the country face a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – released by the Commerce Ministry in the format of written responses to media inquiries – mirrored terminology from the zenith of the latest commercial tensions.

They criticised American limits on exports on electronic components while defending China’s own restrictions on exports on key elements as “routine measures” to protect national security and that of every country.

Their representative stated that for “an extended period”, the United States had “expanded the interpretation” of state security, misused export control measures and “implemented” biased policies against the Chinese nation.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the correct approach to engage with China,” the official stated.

“China’s position on a tariff war has consistently been unchanging: we wish to avoid one, but we are fearless of one.”

Recently, Beijing announced it was strengthening overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and further resources critical for cutting-edge industry.

The action was viewed as a key move, as the state refines about ninety percent of the world’s rare earths, which are used in items such as renewable energy components and smartphones.

The recent comments from both governments are being interpreted by some as a strategy of strengthening positions ahead of forthcoming discussions.

Is not yet known whether a meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a summit in South Korea before month’s end, will take place as planned.