Beijing Slams United States of ‘Hypocritical Policies’ Concerning Trade Levy Warning

Trump’s latest ultimatum to impose an additional 100% tariff on products from China has been labeled a “classic case” of American hypocrisy, as stated by the Beijing administration.

A official from China’s Commerce Ministry further commented that the nation could introduce its own unspecified “countermeasures” if the White House occupant executes his warning, emphasizing that the country was “not afraid” of a potential trade war.

Last Friday, Donald Trump retaliated at Beijing’s move to tighten its rules for overseas sales of rare earths, alleging China of “becoming very hostile” and attempting to hold the international market “under its control”.

He also vowed to cancel a scheduled talks with Beijing’s head of state Xi, which was set for a summit in South Korea later this month.

His statements on that day shook global markets, with the benchmark US stock index closing down over two and a half percent, marking its biggest drop since April.

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

In May, the both nations had consented to remove significant levies on each other’s products, which had raised the prospect of commerce ceasing between the economic powers.

Consequently, American import duties on products from China facing an extra thirty percent tariff compared with the year’s onset, while items from the United States entering China incur a 10% tariff.

China’s latest remarks – published by the Commerce Ministry in the manner of written responses to press queries – echoed rhetoric from the zenith of the latest commercial tensions.

They criticised American limits on exports on semiconductors and chips while justifying Beijing’s restrictions on exports on key elements as “standard procedures” to protect domestic safety and that of every country.

Their representative stated that for “a long time”, the United States had “expanded the interpretation” of state security, exploited foreign shipment regulations and “adopted discriminatory practices against Beijing.

“Resorting to import duty warnings is not the right way to deal with Beijing,” their representative said.

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

Recently, Beijing revealed it was reinforcing foreign shipment restrictions on key elements and additional substances vital for advanced tech manufacturing.

This was seen as a key move, as the state processes about the vast majority of the world’s rare earths, which are utilized in goods such as photovoltaic modules and mobile phones.

The recent comments from the US and China are being viewed by some as a strategy of strengthening positions prior to future trade talks.

Is not yet known whether a summit between Trump and President Xi, planned at a high-level meeting in South Korea in the coming weeks, will go ahead.