Chinese authorities issued a sharp clarification on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump hinted at ‘secondary sanctions’ for trading with Russia. The remarks came hours after the US imposed 25% sanctions and unspecified ‘penalties’ against India for its ties with Moscow. Beijing and Washington had also agreed on Tuesday to extend their mutual tariff pauses for another 90 days following high-level bilateral talks.
“China will always ensure its energy supply in ways that serve our national interests. Tariff wars have no winners. Coercion and pressuring will not achieve anything. China will firmly defend its sovereignty, security, and development interests,” the Foreign Ministry said.
‘Obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers’
The POTUS had accused New Delhi of having “the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers” of all countries and cited its ties with Russia while announcing tariffs. He also dubbed the other country a “friend” — while repeatedly flagging the “massive” US-India trade deficit.
“Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country. Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine — all things not good! India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25%, plus a penalty for the above, starting on August first,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump signs order against ‘de minimis shipments’
Trump signed an order on Wednesday to assert that the US government now had the systems in place to close the tariff loophole on “de minimis” shipments. This set-up had previously enabled goods priced under $800 to enter America duty-free. The ‘de minimis’ system was utilized extensively by Chinese e-commerce firms, such as Shein and Temu, to sell inexpensive products to American consumers. Shipments will now be subjected to new tariffs — currently between 30% and 54% but paused for 90 days.