Daijiworld Media Network - Beijing

Beijing, Oct 12: China on Sunday accused the United States of practicing “double standards” after President Donald Trump announced a 100% additional tariff on Chinese goods and imposed curbs on critical software exports.

An unnamed official from China’s Ministry of Commerce said the US’s actions clearly reflect its double standards, NDTV reported citing an online article.

Trump, announcing the move, said the fresh tariff—set to take effect on November 1—was a response to Beijing’s “extraordinarily aggressive” export restrictions on rare-earth minerals. The US President also hinted at cancelling his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month.

In retaliation, China imposed new port fees on US shipments, launched an antitrust investigation against Qualcomm Inc., and tightened restrictions on the export of rare-earth and other critical minerals vital to the US defence and IT sectors.

“Threatening China with new tariffs is not the way to build relations,” the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement, urging Washington to correct its “wrong practices” and return to negotiations to reach a trade deal.

Currently, China faces a 30% tariff on its exports to the US. With the new measures, the rate would surge to 130% from November 1 if no settlement is reached.

The Ministry clarified that its export curbs are not an outright ban and that applications meeting regulatory requirements will be approved. It also emphasized that its recent trade countermeasures were “necessary and defensive actions.”

Meanwhile, China also accused the US of resorting to “Cold War-era intervention tactics” in Latin America, following Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s remarks suggesting that Argentina is “committed to getting China out.”

China has been one of Argentina’s key allies, extending an $18 billion currency swap line and supporting the development of a space launch station in Patagonia.