China has strongly criticised US President Donald Trump’s latest trade measures, describing his decision to impose new tariffs on Chinese goods as “hypocritical” and defending its own restrictions on rare earth exports. Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce issued a statement emphasising that China’s stance in trade matters remains consistent — it does not seek a tariff war, but is fully prepared to confront one if necessary.

The dispute escalated after Trump announced a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese exports to the US and unveiled new export controls on critical software, set to be implemented on November 1. These measures came on the heels of Washington’s moves such as blacklisting Chinese companies and imposing new port fees targeting vessels linked to China, actions Beijing labelled as “provocative and damaging.”

China’s Ministry of Commerce argued that US behaviour exemplifies double standards, noting that Washington applies its own trade restrictions while condemning China’s policies. The ministry dismissed Trump’s criticism of rare earth export curbs, asserting that those restrictions were introduced in response to a sequence of hostile US actions since the two sides held trade talks in Madrid last month.

At the core of the dispute are rare earth elements — a group of 17 minerals crucial for manufacturing advanced technologies, including smartphones, electric vehicles, military systems, and renewable energy infrastructure.

China remains the world’s leading producer and processor of rare earths, giving it substantial influence over global supply chains. On Thursday, Beijing announced new export controls specifically targeting technologies used in mining and processing these minerals, adding further complexity to the ongoing trade tensions.

Despite its sharp rhetoric, China has not yet unveiled any direct retaliatory tariffs or countermeasures. This restraint marks a notable change from earlier stages of the US–China trade conflict, when confrontational tariff responses were swift.

Analysts note that such caution could be linked to high-stakes diplomatic considerations, including a potential meeting between Trump and President Xi Jinping at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea — their first face-to-face engagement since Trump’s return to the presidency in January.

The standoff has already unsettled global markets, particularly affecting technology stocks and industries heavily reliant on China’s rare earth processing capacity. Companies in sectors ranging from electronics to defence equipment are increasingly concerned about potential disruptions in the supply of critical minerals, underscoring the strategic vulnerabilities exposed by the latest trade and export policy moves from Beijing and Washington.

Based On ANI Report