China Voices Concerns as USโ Escalates Pressure Overโค Russian Oilโ trade
BEIJING – China has cautioned against “unilateral actions” impacting its interests, as โthe United States increases pressure on Western allies to levyโค substantial tariffs on China and India for continuing to purchase Russian โoil, โa move Washington โalleges supports Russia‘s invasion โคof Ukraine. The escalating tensions come amid a โฃrenewed โpush from former US President Donald โtrump for stronger economic measures against both Russia and countries perceivedโค to โbe enabling itsโฃ war โeffort.
The dispute centers on โthe continued flow of revenue โto Russia thru oil โขsales, despite international โขsanctions. The US โฃargues that China โฃand India’s purchases allow Russia to โcircumvent the financial impact of those sanctions, prolonging the conflict in Ukraine. This situation presents a complex geopolitical challenge, โขperhaps reshaping global energy markets and trade relationships. The outcome willโ likely influence the duration and intensity of โฃthe Ukraineโ war, as well as the โbroader balance of power betweenโข the US, China, and russia.
On Saturday,โค Trump sent a letter to NATO members, urging them to โcease buying Russian oil andโฃ collectively impose significant sanctions on Russia to hasten anโ endโ to the war. He also proposed tariffs ranging โฃfrom 50 to 100 percent โขon China, asserting that โBeijing โฃwields considerable โฃinfluence overโ Moscow.
Trump publicly stated his willingness to implement “major sanctions on Russia when all Nato nations have agreed,and โstarted,to do the same thing,and when all Nato nations stop buying oil from Russia.”โ He โfurther claimed, “China โขhas a strong control, and even grip, โover Russia,” and that substantial tariffs “willโ break that grip.”
Beyond the call โคfor NATO action,โ Trump has alsoโ threatened to impose secondary sanctions on countries -โ specifically namingโ China and India – โthat โcontinue to buy โขRussianโข oil.โข This move would penalize entities doing business with those nations, potentially disrupting global โtrade flows and escalatingโค economic tensions.