China blames US for raising trade tensions, defends rare earth curbs

China called President Donald J. Trump's latest US tariffs on Chinese goods hypocritical on Sunday and defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment but stopped short of imposing new levies on US products.

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Mr. Trump on Friday responded to Beijing's most recent export controls by imposing additional tariffs of 100% on China's US-bound exports, along with new export controls on critical software by Nov. 1.

The revived trade tensions have rattled Wall Street, sending Big Tech shares tumbling, worried foreign companies dependent on China's production of processed rare earths and rare earth magnets, and could derail a summit between Mr. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping tentatively scheduled for later this month.

RESPONDING TO TRUMP

The Chinese commerce ministry's statement on Sunday was Beijing's first direct response to Mr. Trump's lengthy Truth Social post on Friday, where he accused Beijing of suddenly raising trade tensions after an uneasy truce was reached six months ago between the world's two largest economies, allowing them to trade goods without sky-high tariff rates.

"Our relationship with China over the past six months has been a very good one, thereby making this move on Trade an even more surprising one," Mr. Trump said.

The commerce ministry said in an equally lengthy statement that its export controls on rare-earth elements followed a series of US measures since bilateral trade talks in Madrid last month.