China ‘not afraid of’ trade war in face of Trump’s new tariff threats

Beijing said Sunday it is "not afraid of" a trade war with the US after President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs and export curbs on China, Global Times reported

A Commerce Ministry spokesperson said the "willful threats of high tariffs" 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," said the spokesperson, adding that Beijing always "firmly safeguards its national security and international common security, always takes a just and reasonable principled position and implements export control measures in a prudential and moderate manner."

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump vowed Friday to impose new tariffs of 100% on Chinese goods and restrict the export of "critical software" after Beijing announced restrictions on the export of rare earth minerals.

"Based on the fact that China has taken this unprecedented position, and speaking only for the U.S.A., and not other nations who were similarly threatened, starting November 1st, 2025 (or sooner, depending on any further actions or changes taken by China), the United States of America will impose a tariff of 100% on China, over and above any tariff that they are currently paying," Trump wrote on his social media company Truth Social.

"Also on November 1st, we will impose Export Controls on any and all critical software. It is impossible to believe that China would have taken such an action, but they have, and the rest is history," he added.

China announced the new rare earth export restrictions Thursday. They widen limits on processing and manufacturing technologies and prohibit cooperation with foreign companies without prior government authorization.

The Commerce Ministry said the measures aim to safeguard national security and interests by imposing export controls on rare earth-related technologies, including mining, smelting and separation, magnetic material production and recycling of secondary resources.