'Coercion and pressure': China slams Trump's secondary sanction threat for buying Russian oil

Beijing on Wednesday slammed US President Donald Trump for threatening to impose secondary sanctions on countries that continue purchasing oil from Russia, calling the move an act of “coercion and pressure.”

In a strongly worded response on X, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said, “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.”

Response to U.S. suggestion that it will significantly raise tariffs if China continues to purchase Russian oil:
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.… pic.twitter.com/MsvVMYNfv2

— CHINA MFA Spokesperson 中国外交部发言人 (@MFA_China) July 30, 2025

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Earlier in the day, President Trump imposed 25% tariffs and imposed a penalty on India for buying Russian oil amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. He also warned China and threatened to impose tariffs on Beijing.

“…Also, they (India) 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!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

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On Tuesday, the US and China  agreed to extend their mutual tariff pauses for another 90 days, following two days of high-level bilateral talks held in Stockholm, Sweden. Under the extension, the US will maintain its 30% tariffs on Chinese goods, while China will continue its 10% tariffs on American products.

Welcoming the development, China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, who led the Chinese delegation, said: “A stable, healthy and sustainable China-US economic and trade relationship serves not only the two countries’ respective development goals but also contributes to global economic growth and stability.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, part of the American delegation, described the discussions as “very fulsome,” noting that the two sides covered a wide range of issues, including China’s trade relations with Russia and its oil imports from Iran.

“We just need to de-risk with certain, strategic industries, whether it’s the rare earths, semiconductors, medicines, and we talked about what we could do together to get into balance within the relationship,” Bessent added.

The agreement marks a temporary easing of tensions in a trade relationship that remains under strain due to strategic concerns and geopolitical alignments.

With inputs from agencies