Donald Trump issues BIG warning to China: ‘There’s no way that…’

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.

US President Donald Trump on Friday said there was “no reason to meet” with Chinese President Xi Jinping after Beijing took “very hostile” steps by imposing sweeping new export controls on rare earths. Trump warned that the United States was preparing to respond with strong countermeasures, including “massive tariff increases” on Chinese goods entering the United States. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “Some very strange things are happening in China! They are being very hostile and sending letters to countries all over the world saying they want to impose export controls on every element of production related to rare earths and just about anything you can think of even if it’s not made in China.”

What did Trump say about China?

Trump said many countries have reached out to the United States and expressed anger at what he called “massive trade hostility.” He added that this move was a surprise because “our relationship with China over the last six months has been very good, which makes this move in trade even more surprising.” Trump called the move “ominous and hostile,” saying, “I always felt they were lurking, and now, as always, I’m proven right! There’s no way China will be allowed to hold the world in ‘captivity,’ but it seems like that’s been their plan for a long time.” The US leader said China detailed in its letters “in great detail every element they want to hide from other countries.” He said the timing of the move was suspicious and that it coincided with a breakthrough in peace efforts in the Middle East.

‘There is no need to meet with Xi Jinping’

“The Chinese letters were particularly inappropriate because it was the day of peace in the Middle East after three thousand years of turmoil and strife. Was this timing a coincidence?” Trump said. He also said he would meet Xi at the APEC summit in South Korea in two weeks, but suggested the meeting might not go ahead. “I was supposed to meet President Xi at APEC in South Korea in two weeks, but there seems to be no reason to do that now,” Trump said. “Depending on what China has to say about the hostile ‘order’ they just laid out, I will have to financially oppose their move as President of the United States. For every element they can monopolize, we have two,” he said. “I never thought it would come to this, but maybe, as with all things, the time has come. Even though it will be potentially painful, it will ultimately be a very good thing for the United States,” Trump added.

What is China’s new trade move?

Beijing has imposed sweeping restrictions on rare earth exports, expanding the checklist and extending the restrictions to manufacturing technologies and overseas applications, including the military and semiconductor sectors, CNN reported. China, which dominates the global processing of rare earths used in everything from smartphones to fighter jets, has added five new elements – holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium – to its existing list of restricted minerals, bringing the total to 12 from 17 types. Export licenses will now be required not only for elements but also for technologies related to mining, smelting and magnet production. China’s Ministry of Commerce said the move was aimed at “safeguarding national security and interests” and preventing the materials from being used “directly or indirectly in military and other sensitive areas.”

(With inputs from news agency ANI).