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The former US president’s latest threat to enforce an extra complete levy on items imported from China has been labeled a “prime illustration” of US double standards, as stated by the China’s leadership.

A representative of the ministry also stated that Beijing could introduce its own undisclosed “responsive actions” if the White House occupant carries out his warning, adding that the country was “fearless” of a potential trade war.

Last Friday, Donald Trump hit back at the Chinese government’s action to reinforce its policies for exports of critical elements, accusing the Chinese leadership of “turning aggressive” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

Additionally, he vowed to cancel a scheduled talks with China’s President President Xi, which was expected to take place during a summit in the Republic of Korea in the coming weeks.

The former president’s remarks on Friday rattled global markets, with the S&P 500 share index dropping 2.7%, marking its biggest drop since earlier this year.

These statements reignited apprehensions of a trade conflict between the two economic giants.

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

Consequently, United States levies on Chinese goods facing an extra 30% levy compared with the start of the year, while items from the United States entering the country incur a ten percent duty.

China’s latest remarks – issued by the relevant government department in the form of written responses to press queries – reflected rhetoric from the zenith of the ongoing trade dispute.

The remarks condemned US export restrictions on semiconductors and chips while justifying China’s own export controls on rare earth minerals as “normal actions” to ensure state interests and that of every country.

The spokesperson said that for “an extended period”, the America had “overstretched the concept of state security, exploited export control measures and “implemented” discriminatory practices against the Chinese nation.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the proper method to deal with Beijing,” the spokesperson commented.

“China’s position on a import duty dispute has remained steady: we wish to avoid one, but we are not afraid of one.”

Recently, China announced it was strengthening overseas sale regulations on rare earth minerals and additional substances vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This was seen as a key move, as the nation refines about the vast majority of the world’s rare earths, which are employed in items such as photovoltaic modules and smartphones.

Latest statements from both governments are being viewed by some as a method of strengthening positions prior to forthcoming discussions.

Is not yet known whether a meeting between Donald Trump and China’s leader, scheduled at a conference in the Republic of Korea later this month, will go ahead.