U.S President, Donald Trump and Chinese president, Xi Jinping
Tensions have flared as China issued a stern warning in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for NATO nations to slap hefty tariffs on Chinese goods and cease purchasing Russian oil. The move is seen as an attempt to pressure China into influencing Russia to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict.
“Should China’s interests be undermined, the People’s Republic will take resolute countermeasures to safeguard its security and development,” declared Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a Monday briefing in Beijing, labeling the U.S. stance as “a clear example of unilateral coercion.”
In a separate appeal, China’s Ministry of Commerce cautioned the U.S. to tread carefully and address economic disputes through constructive dialogue rather than punitive measures.
Trump’s proposal includes imposing tariffs ranging from 50% to 100% on Chinese imports across all NATO countries, alongside a halt on Russian oil purchases, with the measures to be lifted only after the Ukraine war concludes. He argued that such economic pressure would compel China to leverage its close ties with Moscow to push for peace talks.
Despite Beijing’s claims of neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, its influential partnership with Moscow has drawn scrutiny. China’s proposed solutions to the war have been dismissed by Kyiv as overly aligned with Russian interests.
The remarks come amid ongoing U.S.-China trade discussions in Spain, where both nations are grappling with long-standing tariff disputes. Earlier this year, tensions escalated as both sides imposed surcharges exceeding 100% on various goods, though a temporary truce in the trade spat holds until November.
(dpa/NAN)
