China signaled Sunday that it might not again down within the face of a 100 per cent tariff menace from President Donald Trump, urging the U.S. to resolve variations by way of negotiations as a substitute of threats. U.S. Vice President JD Vance defended Trump’s place and appeared to warn China to not be aggressive in its response.
“China’s stance is constant,” the Commerce Ministry mentioned in an announcement posted on-line. “We are not looking for a tariff battle however we’re not afraid of 1.”
It was China’s first official touch upon Trump’s menace to jack up the tax on imports from China by Nov. 1 in response to new Chinese language restrictions on the export of uncommon earths, that are important to a variety of shopper and army merchandise.
The backwards and forwards threatens to derail a potential assembly between Trump and Chinese language chief Xi Jinping and finish a truce in a commerce battle wherein new tariffs from either side briefly topped 100 per cent in April.
In response, Vance mentioned Sunday that Trump is dedicated to defending America’s financial livelihoods whereas making the USA extra self-sufficient. He mentioned the truth that China has “a lot management over crucial provide in the USA of America” is the definition of a nationwide emergency and subsequently justifies Trump’s transfer to impose powerful tariffs.
“It’s going to be delicate dance and a variety of it’s going to rely on how the Chinese language reply. In the event that they reply in a extremely aggressive method, I assure you the president of the USA has way more playing cards than the Folks’s Republic of China,” Vance mentioned on Fox Information Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

“If, nevertheless, they’re keen to be cheap, then Donald Trump is at all times keen to be an inexpensive negotiator. We’re going to seek out out rather a lot within the weeks to come back about whether or not China desires to start out a commerce battle with us or whether or not they truly wish to be cheap,” Vance continued. “I hope they select the trail of purpose. The president of the USA goes to defend America regardless.”
Trump has raised taxes on imports from many U.S. buying and selling companions since taking workplace in January, in search of to win concessions. China has been one of many few international locations that hasn’t backed down, counting on its financial clout.

Get breaking Nationwide information
For information impacting Canada and around the globe, join breaking information alerts delivered on to you after they occur.
“Often resorting to the specter of excessive tariffs is just not the proper technique to get together with China,” the Commerce Ministry mentioned in its submit, which was offered as a sequence of solutions from an unnamed spokesperson to 4 questions from unspecified media shops.
The assertion known as for addressing any considerations by way of dialogue.
“If the U.S. aspect obstinately insists on its follow, China will be sure you resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its reputable rights and pursuits,” the submit mentioned.
Along with the 100 per cent tariff, Trump threatened to impose export controls on what he known as “crucial software program,” with out specifying what which means.
Each side accuse the opposite of violating the spirit of the truce by imposing new restrictions on commerce.

Trump mentioned in a social media submit that China is “turning into very hostile” and that it’s holding the world captive by limiting entry to uncommon earth metals and magnets.
The Chinese language Commerce Ministry submit mentioned the U.S. has launched a number of new restrictions in latest weeks, together with increasing the variety of Chinese language corporations topic to U.S. export controls.
On uncommon earths, the ministry mentioned that export licenses can be granted for reputable civilian makes use of, noting that the minerals even have army functions.
The brand new laws embody a requirement that overseas corporations get Chinese language authorities approval to export objects that include uncommon earths sourced from China, irrespective of the place the merchandise are manufactured.
China accounts for almost 70 per cent of the world’s uncommon earths mining and controls roughly 90 per cent of their international processing. Entry to the fabric is a key level of rivalry in commerce talks between Washington and Beijing.
The crucial minerals go into many merchandise, from jet engines, radar programs and electrical autos to shopper electronics together with laptops and telephones. China’s export controls have hit European and different producers, in addition to American ones.
The Commerce Ministry assertion mentioned that the U.S. can also be ignoring Chinese language considerations by going ahead with new port charges on Chinese language ships that take impact Tuesday. China introduced Friday that it might impose port charges on American ships in response.
—Related Press author Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
© 2025 The Canadian Press