Beijing Criticizes Trump‘s Proposal for Tariffs and Oil Embargoes
Beijing has responded negatively to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for NATO countries to halt purchases of Russian oil and impose significant tariffs on China, framing the proposals as possibly damaging to the global economy. Trump outlined his suggestions in a post on his social media platform Saturday, asserting these measures would help “END this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR” in Ukraine.
Trump argued that heavy tariffs on China,lifted only upon a cessation of hostilities,would “break” China’s “strong control,and even grip,over Russia.” He also reiterated his belief that responsibility for the ongoing conflict lies with his successor, President Joe Biden, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, notably omitting Russian President Vladimir Putin from that assessment.
The proposals echo trump’s past trade practices. During his presidency, he imposed a 25 per cent import tax on goods from India due to its purchases of Russian energy products, ultimately reaching a 50 per cent tariff on india though he indicated openness to negotiation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
More recently,trump implemented new tariffs totaling 145 per cent on Chinese goods,prompting a retaliatory response from China with 125 per cent import taxes on American goods. this escalation effectively created a trade blockade between the world’s two largest economies, raising concerns about global growth and ultimately leading to negotiations. Those talks resulted in the U.S. lowering its tariffs to 30 per cent, while china reduced its rate to 10 per cent to facilitate continued discussions.
The potential for further tariff hikes on China and subsequent retaliation raises concerns about collateral damage to both the U.S. and European economies.
Trump’s call for action follows a Friday discussion with finance ministers from the G7, a forum of industrialized democracies.During the meeting, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged a “unified front” to disrupt “the revenues funding Putin’s war machine,” according to Greer’s office.
Recent reports indicate that Russia is increasingly reliant on components sourced from countries like China for its weapons production, including chemicals, explosives, and other weapons components, as highlighted by reporting from the Associated Press following drone strikes in Poland.
