China slams US's 'double standards' after Trump imposed 100% tariffs on Beijing

China on Sunday slammed the United States for its “double standards” after US President Donald Trump announced fresh 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods. Earlier this week, Trump also cancelled his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which was scheduled to take place this month.

“The relevant US statement is a typical example of ‘double standards,” a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement published online. On Friday, Trump announced that he is imposing additional tariffs on China, which are set to take effect on November 1.

Trump noted that the tariffs are being imposed in response to what he called “extraordinarily aggressive” new Chinese export curbs on rare-earth minerals.

While commenting on Trump’s charge, China on Sunday defended its export control measures on rare-earth. They called the curbs “legitimate”, insisting that the government is willing to “strengthen dialogue and exchanges on export controls with all countries” to better safeguard the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

China slams the US for putting economic pressure

In the statement, Beijing accused Washington, DC, of intensifying economic pressure on China since September. “These actions… have severely harmed China’s interests and seriously undermined the atmosphere of the economic and trade talks between the two sides,” the spokesperson said.

“Threatening high tariffs at every turn is not the right approach to engaging with China," the commerce ministry added. China called on the Trump administration to change its approach, condemning what it described as “willful threats of high tariffs” and warning that such measures are “not the right way to get along with China.”

“China’s position on the trade war is consistent: we do not want it, but we are not afraid of it. China urges the US to promptly correct its wrong practices." “If the US insists on going the wrong way, China will surely take resolute measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests,” the ministry added. “Threatening high tariffs at every turn is not the right approach to engaging with China," the commerce ministry added.

In Trump’s condemnation of China, he accused Beijing of “holding the world captive” by leveraging its dominance over the rare-earth supply chain, adding, “China is becoming very hostile.” Currently, US tariffs on Chinese goods stand at 30 per cent, while China retaliates with 10 per cent duties on American products.