United States President Donald Trump has said he may impose new tariffs on China, expanding a sweeping set of secondary sanctions aimed at pressuring countries that continue to maintain trade ties with Russia.
The latest threat comes just hours after Trump announced a decision to double tariffs on India to 50 pc by late August. The US president accused New Delhi of supporting Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine by continuing to import Russian oil.
During a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday, Trump was asked whether additional duties were being considered for China. “Could happen. Depends on how we do,” he responded.
Pressed further on global energy trade involving Russia, Trump signalled a broader sanctions campaign. “You’re going to see a lot more. You’re going to see so many secondary sanctions,” he said.
India and China, two of the largest buyers of Russian oil, have both pushed back against US tariff threats. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated on Wednesday that “India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.”
China, too, has vowed to safeguard its energy security. “Tariff wars have no winners,” a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said last week, reaffirming Beijing’s intention to ensure energy supplies “in ways that guarantee its interests.”
The existing US tariffs on Chinese goods currently stand at 30 pc, having been temporarily frozen earlier this year after a prolonged trade standoff. In April, Trump launched a renewed trade war with Beijing, which escalated tariffs to a peak of 145 pc on certain imports from China. In retaliation, China raised duties on American goods to 125 pc.
The two nations reached a temporary trade truce in May, but the current freeze is set to expire next Tuesday.
US-Chinese trade talks were held in Sweden last week, where both sides agreed to continue discussions on extending the tariff suspension. However, no final deal has yet been reached.
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