Hangzhou Coditeck Digital Co.,Ltd

BEIJING: China said on Tuesday (Oct 14) it was ready to "fight to the end" in a trade war with the United States after President Donald Trump said he would impose an additional 100 per cent tariff on goods from the country.

The move, revealed in a Friday social media post, was in response to Beijing's announcement last week of sweeping new export controls in the strategic field of rare earths - currently dominated by China.

"On the matter of tariff wars and trade wars, China's position remains consistent," an unnamed commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.

"If you wish to fight, we shall fight to the end; if you wish to negotiate, our door remains open," the statement said.

"The United States cannot simultaneously seek dialogue while threatening to impose new restrictive measures. This is not the proper way to engage with China."

Trump appeared to walk back his more menacing rhetoric in a Sunday social media post that said "it will all be fine", adding that the United States wants to "help" China.

On Monday, as the outlook for trade with the United States darkened, newly released official data for September showed that China's overseas shipments have remained resilient.

Exports jumped 8.3 per cent year-on-year last month, the fastest expansion since March and much faster than forecasts.

Shipments to the United States - the world's largest consumer market - picked up to reach US$34.3 billion, the data showed.

Chinese goods currently face US tariffs of at least 30 per cent under levies that Trump imposed while accusing Beijing of aiding in the fentanyl trade as well as unfair trade practices.

China's retaliatory tariffs are currently at 10 per cent.

Beijing's commerce ministry spokesperson said China wanted to "reiterate that export control measures concerning rare earths and related items constitute legitimate actions by the Chinese government to improve its export control system in accordance with laws and regulations".

"As a responsible major power, China has consistently and resolutely safeguarded its own national security and international collective security," the spokesperson added.

The global impact of Trump's tariff onslaught is in the spotlight this week as a semi-annual gathering of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank takes place in Washington.

The White House continues to insist that the long-term effect of tariffs will be positive for the United States, pointing to their relatively muted economic impact so far.