The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) Photo: VCG

China consistently and firmly safeguards its national security and global common security as a responsible major country; the export control regulation is not a ban and compliant application for export licenses will be granted to jointly maintain the safety and stability of global production and supply chains, a spokesperson with China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday. The remarks were made in response to a question about a US official's claim that China "deferred" when the US side reached out for a phone talk regarding the country's rare earth export controls and that both sides need to find a way back to stability.

The Chinese side urges the US side to correct its wrongdoings, show sincerity for talks, and meet China halfway and stressed that "it is not the right way to engage with China when the US seeks negotiations with China while threatening and intimidating to come up with new restrictions," the spokesperson said, according to a statement on the ministry's website.

China has noticed the relevant developments. Recently, China has clarified its position on the US threat to impose 100 percent tariffs and other restrictive measures, the MOFCOM spokesperson said.

"I want to reiterate that China's export control measures on rare earths and related items are lawful and legitimate actions to improve its export control system in accordance with laws and regulations. As a responsible major country, China consistently and firmly safeguards its national security and global common security. The regulation is not a ban on rare earths exports and compliant applications will be granted licenses to jointly maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains," the spokesperson said.

He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Tuesday that it is necessary for China to strengthen export controls on rare earths and related items to safeguard national security and fulfill its international non-proliferation obligations, noting that the US' subsequent moves, including the threat of 100 percent tariffs, amount to an overreaction.

"Additional tariffs as high as 100 percent are meaningless given the current state of bilateral trade. The US' threats and intimidation cannot resolve China-US trade frictions but only undermine the foundation of bilateral trade talks," He said.

Prior to the announcement of the export control, China had already briefed the US through the bilateral export control dialogue mechanism, the spokesperson said. "In contrast, the US has long overstretched the concept of national security, abused export controls and imposed discriminatory measures against China. Since the China-US economic and trade talks in Madrid, the US has continuously introduced new restrictions against China, severely harming China's interests and undermining the atmosphere of bilateral economic consultations. China firmly opposes this," the spokesperson said.

In response to the US' decision to levy additional port fees on Chinese ships starting from Tuesday after a Section 301 investigation, China has also announced it would begin charging special port fees on vessels owned or operated by US enterprises, organizations and individuals starting the same day.

China's position on trade and tariff wars remains consistent: We will fight if we must fight. Our doors are open if the US wants to talk. The two countries share extensive common interests and vast cooperation potential. Cooperation benefits both, while confrontation harms both. The past four rounds of economic and trade consultations have proven that China and the US can resolve issues through mutual respect and equal consultation, the spokesperson said.

"China and the US have maintained communication under the framework of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, and the two sides conducted a working-level meeting on Monday," the spokesperson said.

"I must emphasize that it is not the right way to engage with China when the US seeks negotiations with China while threatening and intimidating to come up with new restrictions. China urges the US to correct its wrongdoings, show sincerity for talks, and meet China halfway - guided by the important consensuses reached by the two heads of states during their phone call to safeguard the hard-won outcomes of consultations," the spokesperson said.

The two countries should continue to leverage the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, and resolve each other's concerns through dialogue, manage differences, and promote the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of bilateral economic relations, the spokesperson said.

"The scope for bilateral trade talks depends on the US. The US should take concrete actions to show its sincerity," Huo Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

China's total goods imports and exports in yuan terms rose to 33.61 trillion yuan ($4.73 trillion) in the first nine months of 2025, up 4 percent year-on-year, demonstrating exceptional resilience and underscoring the country's confidence and capability to handle external challenges, Huo said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday that China firmly opposes the recent US restrictions and sanctions, and will do what is necessary to protect its legitimate rights and interests.

"Threatening high tariffs is not the right way to deal with China. The US should correct its approach and act on the common understandings the two presidents reached in their phone calls. The two sides can and should address each other's concerns through dialogue and manage differences on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit to keep bilateral ties on a steady, sound and sustainable track. If the US keeps refusing to change course, China will be firmly resolved in taking measures to safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests," Lin said.