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Donald Trump’s newest warning to enforce an further complete levy on items imported from China has been called a “classic case” of American hypocrisy, according to the Beijing administration.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry also stated that Beijing could implement its own unrevealed “responsive actions” if the American leader carries out his pledge, emphasizing that the country was “unafraid” of a possible trade conflict.

This past Friday, the former president hit back at Beijing’s move to tighten its rules for foreign shipments of rare earths, accusing the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the global community “under its control”.

He also threatened to pull out of a scheduled meeting with Beijing’s head of state President Xi, which was set for a meeting in Seoul in the coming weeks.

The former president’s remarks on last Friday unsettled global markets, with the S&P 500 closing down 2.7%, marking its steepest fall since earlier this year.

The president’s words reignited concerns of a commercial dispute between the US and China.

In May, the respective governments had agreed to drop significant levies on each other’s goods, which had led to concerns of commerce ceasing between the two nations.

As a result, American import duties on products from China facing an added thirty percent tariff compared with the year’s onset, while American products entering China face a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – released by the relevant government department in the manner of formal replies to press queries – echoed terminology from the height of the latest commercial tensions.

They criticised United States controls on electronic components while justifying Beijing’s restrictions on exports on key elements as “standard procedures” to ensure domestic safety and that of all nations.

The spokesperson remarked that for “a long time”, the United States had “broadened the definition” of domestic safety, exploited foreign shipment regulations and “adopted biased policies against China.

“Using” import duty warnings is not the right way to engage with China,” the official stated.

“The nation’s view” on a import duty dispute has always been steady: we do not want one, but we are fearless of one.”

Recently, the Chinese government declared it was strengthening foreign shipment restrictions on rare earth minerals and further resources essential to advanced tech manufacturing.

This was seen as a important measure, as the nation refines about ninety percent of the global rare earth supply, which are employed in goods such as solar panels and smartphones.

New remarks from Washington and Beijing are being interpreted by some as a means of enhancing bargaining power ahead of future trade talks.

Remains uncertain whether a summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a summit in South Korea before month’s end, will go ahead.