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Trump’s latest threat to enforce an additional full import duty on products from China has been called a “prime illustration” of United States’ contradictory behavior, according to the Chinese government.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry further commented that Beijing could implement its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the American leader carries out his warning, adding that the country was “fearless” of a possible trade war.

Last Friday, the former president responded at the Chinese government’s action to reinforce its policies for overseas sales of rare earths, alleging Beijing of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

Furthermore, he warned to withdraw from a arranged meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, which was arranged for a meeting in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks.

The former president’s remarks on last Friday rattled stock exchanges, with the benchmark US stock index closing down nearly three percent, marking its biggest drop since earlier this year.

The president’s words reignited apprehensions of a trade war between the United States and China.

Earlier this year, the both nations had agreed to remove significant levies on each other’s imports, which had created the possibility of bilateral trade stopping between the two nations.

This left, US tariffs on Chinese imports subject to an additional import tax compared with the year’s onset, while items from the United States entering the country incur a import levy.

China’s latest remarks – issued by the Commerce Ministry in the form of official answers to journalist’s questions – reflected rhetoric from the zenith of the ongoing trade dispute.

Officials denounced United States controls on chips and semi-conductors while defending Beijing’s overseas sale regulations on key elements as “normal actions” to ensure state interests and that of all nations.

The spokesperson remarked that for “many years”, the United States had “overstretched the concept of national security, exploited foreign shipment regulations and “implemented” unfair treatments against Beijing.

“Resorting to trade levy ultimatums is not the proper method to interact with Beijing,” the official commented.

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

Recently, the Chinese government revealed it was strengthening overseas sale regulations on rare earths and further resources essential to cutting-edge industry.

The action was viewed as a important measure, as the state processes about 90% of the planet’s critical minerals, which are utilized in products such as photovoltaic modules and handheld devices.

New remarks from the US and China are being interpreted by observers as a means of strengthening positions prior to forthcoming discussions.

Is not yet known whether a summit between the former president and Xi Jinping, scheduled at a conference in South Korea before month’s end, will go ahead.