I didn't turn a blind eye to who start the trade war back then, because this is NOT a trade war.
If you hike your tax on Antimony export, and the American have to pay higher tariff in order to export and thus jacking up the price, that's trade war. You still getting American money but with a coercion tactics, you get more.
You STOPPED selling to the American, even if you can jack up the price because supply dropped, you are not reaping any benefit from the American or anyone. Because you stop selling to them, they won't give you money if you stop selling to them. You can jack up the price on your own industry, because that would be your now targeted market now that you stopped trading outside.