Kathrine Frich
China has defended its continued purchase of Russian oil, calling the trade “legitimate” and accusing the United States of engaging in “unilateral intimidation.”
The comments came Thursday from Beijing’s Foreign Ministry, following renewed criticism from President Donald Trump.
He claimed he would persuade China and India to stop buying Russian crude oil.
India halts imports
Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to halt imports, though New Delhi has neither confirmed nor denied a policy change.
The US president has accused both nations of indirectly funding Russia’s war in Ukraine through their energy deals, while also urging Europe to impose a total embargo on Russian oil.
Responding to questions about the remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the country’s cooperation with Moscow was part of “normal and legitimate economic, trade and energy cooperation with countries around the world, including Russia.”
He added, “The actions of the United States are a typical example of unilateral intimidation and economic coercion,”
Growing Tensions Over Trade and Energy
While China and Russia have deepened trade ties since the invasion of Ukraine, Beijing has avoided condemning Moscow’s actions or demanding the withdrawal of its forces.
Western governments have accused China of providing economic lifelines to Russia amid international sanctions.
Beijing also criticized Washington’s decision to expand export controls and impose new port fees on Chinese ships, saying the measures have a “deeply damaging impact” on ongoing trade talks.
The United States announced the tariffs earlier this year after an investigation concluded that China’s dominance in shipbuilding was “unjustified.”
In response, Beijing introduced its own “special port fees” on American vessels, a move that took effect Tuesday.
Commerce Ministry spokeswoman He Yongqian said the United States had proceeded “ignoring China’s sincerity in consultations,” adding that the actions had caused “serious damage to China’s interests… and a deeply detrimental impact.”
Beijing Warns of Retaliation
Chinese officials have accused Washington of escalating the conflict despite recent attempts to ease tensions.
Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said the United States had “triggered the latest trade dispute” during a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook in Beijing. He called for both sides to show restraint and cooperation.
“Maintaining the overall stability of China-US trade relations requires compromises from both sides,” Wang said.
Despite these appeals, Trump announced plans to impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods starting November 1.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
