Trade War: China Rejects US Threats of More Tariffs as “Coercion”

China on Wednesday responded strongly to the US suggestion that it will significantly raise tariffs if China continues to purchase Russian oil, saying “coercion and pressuring will not achieve anything.”

“Response to US suggestion that it will significantly raise tariffs if China continues to purchase Russian oil: China will always ensure its energy supply in ways that serve our national interests,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun wrote on X.

“Tariff wars have no winners. Coercion and pressuring will not achieve anything. China will firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests,” the Chinese spokesperson said.

US Wants China to Stop Importing Russian Oil

On Tuesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had warned Chinese officials that continued purchases of sanctioned Russian oil would lead to significant tariffs due to legislation in Congress, but was told that Beijing would protect its energy sovereignty, The Straits Times reported.

Wrapping up two days of US-China trade talks in Stockholm, Bessent said he also expressed US displeasure at China’s continued purchases of sanctioned Iranian oil, and its sales of over USD 15 billion worth of dual-use technology goods to Russia that have bolstered Moscow’s war against Ukraine, the Singapore-based news outlet reported.

Bessent said legislation in the US Congress authorising Trump to levy tariffs up to 500 per cent on countries that purchase sanctioned Russian oil would draw US allies into taking similar steps to cut off Russia’s energy revenues, as per The Straits Times.

How Will China Respond to US Tariff Threats?

This comes after US President Donald Trump’s decision on Monday to shorten the 50-day deadline given to Russian President Vladimir Putin, setting a new deadline of 10 to 12 days to reach a peace deal with Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer from his golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland, Trump stated that, “I’m going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today. There’s no reason in waiting,” adding that “I want to be generous, but we just don’t see any progress being made.”

Trump emphasised that he doesn’t want to impose harsh measures on Russia, but he’s willing to do so if necessary. “It would be sanctions and maybe tariffs, secondary tariffs. I don’t want to do that to Russia,” he said.

“You would think, based on common sense, you would want to make a deal,” Trump said, referring to the Russian president. “I guess we’ll find out.”

(Inputs From ANI)

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