US accused of ‘double standards’

China slams Trump’s ‘100%’ tariff threat

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China accused the United States of “double standards” on Sunday, after President Donald Trump threatened an additional 100% tariffon the world’s second-largest economy.

Mr Trump reignited his trade war with China on Friday, accusing Beijing of imposing “extraordinarily aggressive” new export curbs relating to rare earths.

He announced extra levies — plus export controls on “critical software” — due to take effect from Nov 1, and threatened to cancel a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

On Sunday, China's Ministry of Commerce called Mr Trump’s tariff threat a “typical example of ‘double standards’.

The ministry said Washington had ratcheted up economic measures against Beijing since September.

“Threatening high tariffs at every turn is not the right approach to engaging with China,’ it said in an online statement.

Chinese goods currently face US tariffs of 30% under levies that Mr Trump brought in while accusing Beijing of aiding in the fentanyl trade, and over alleged unfair practices.

China’s retaliatory tariffs are currently at 10%.

Rare earths have been a major sticking point in recent trade negotiations between the two superpowers.