China has vowed to “fight to the end” in its escalating trade dispute with the United States after former President Donald Trump announced plans to impose additional 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump’s move, disclosed in a Friday social media post, came in response to Beijing’s recent decision to introduce sweeping new export controls on rare earth materials — a sector where China maintains a global dominance.
The former US president also said Washington would impose export restrictions on “any and all critical software” starting November 1, further intensifying tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
The latest escalation has unsettled financial markets and cast uncertainty over a possible meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, expected to take place in South Korea.
“On the matter of tariff wars and trade wars, China’s position remains consistent,” a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Tuesday. “If you wish to fight, we shall fight to the end; if you wish to negotiate, our door remains open.”
The statement criticized Washington for trying to maintain dialogue while threatening new trade restrictions, calling it “not the proper way to engage with China.”
Trump appeared to soften his tone over the weekend, posting on Sunday that “it will all be fine,” adding that the United States “wants to help China.”
Despite the renewed tensions, China’s trade data for September showed resilience. Exports surged by 8.3 percent year-on-year — the fastest pace since March — with shipments to the United States reaching $34.3 billion.
Currently, Chinese goods face US tariffs of at least 30 percent under Trump-era levies imposed over alleged unfair trade practices and accusations that Beijing has contributed to the fentanyl crisis. China, in turn, maintains retaliatory tariffs of around 10 percent.
The impact of Trump’s renewed tariff threats is expected to feature prominently at the ongoing International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Washington, where global economic stability remains a key concern.
