China says it's 'not afraid' of a tariff war in the face of Trump's 100% tariff threat

By&nbspEuronews

Published on 12/10/2025 - 9:04 GMT+2

China signaled Sunday that it would not backmost down successful nan look of a 100% tariff threat from US President Donald Trump, urging nan US to resoluteness differences done negotiations alternatively of threats.

“China’s stance is consistent,” nan Commerce Ministry said successful a connection posted online. “We do not want a tariff warfare but we are not acrophobic of one.”

The consequence came 2 days aft Trump threatened to summation nan taxation connected imports from China by 1 November successful consequence to caller Chinese restrictions connected nan export of uncommon earths, a cardinal constituent for galore user and subject products.

“Frequently resorting to nan threat of precocious tariffs is not nan correct measurement to get on pinch China,” nan Chinese Commerce Ministry said successful its online post, which was presented arsenic a bid of answers from an unnamed spokesperson to questions from unspecified media outlets.

“If nan US broadside obstinately insists connected its practice, China will beryllium judge to resolutely return corresponding measures to safeguard its morganatic authorities and interests,” nan station said.

The speech threatens to derail a imaginable gathering betwixt Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping and extremity a truce successful a tariff warfare successful which caller tariffs from some sides concisely topped 100% successful April.

Trump has placed tariffs connected imports from galore US trading partners this year, seeking to triumph concessions successful return for tariff reductions. China has been 1 of nan fewer countries that hasn't backed down, relying connected its economical clout.

Both sides impeach nan different of violating nan tone of nan truce by imposing caller restrictions connected trade.

Trump said China is “becoming very hostile” and that it’s holding nan world captive by restricting entree to uncommon world metals and magnets.

China’s caller regulations require overseas companies to get typical support to export items that incorporate moreover mini traces of uncommon earths elements originated from China. These captious minerals are needed successful a wide scope of products, from pitchy engines, radar systems and electrical vehicles to user electronics including laptops and phones.

China accounts for astir 70% of nan world’s uncommon earths mining and controls astir 90% of world uncommon earths processing. Access to nan worldly is simply a cardinal constituent of contention successful waste and acquisition talks betwixt Washington and Beijing.

The ministry station said that export licenses would beryllium granted for morganatic civilian uses, noting that nan minerals besides person subject applications.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry station said that nan US has introduced respective caller restrictions successful caller weeks, including expanding nan number of Chinese companies taxable to US export controls.

It besides said that nan US is ignoring Chinese concerns by going guardant pinch caller larboard fees connected Chinese ships that return effect Tuesday. China announced Friday that it would enforce larboard fees connected American ships successful response.