China hits back at 100% Trump tariffs

Beijing: China onSunday accused the United States of applying "double standards" following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new 100 percent tariffs targeting Chinese goods.

“The relevant US statement is a typical example of 'double standards,” a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

The comments came after Trump’s Friday announcement that he would impose additional tariffs, set to take effect on November 1, in response to what he called “extraordinarily aggressive” new Chinese export curbs on rare-earth minerals.

Responding to the US President’s charge, Beijing defended its export control measures on rare-earth minerals as "legitimate," saying 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.

Trump also warned that he might cancel a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for later this month.

Beijing accused the 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.

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

The spokesperson said, “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.”