BEIJING, Sept. 15: China on Monday hit back at Washington’s call for G7 and NATO nations to impose tariffs on countries importing Russian oil, labeling it a “typical act of unilateral bullying” and “economic coercion.”
At a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian warned that Beijing would take countermeasures if the US move gained support. “China’s normal economic and energy cooperation with countries around the world, including Russia, is legitimate, lawful, and above reproach,” he said.
The US has been pressuring allies to tighten economic measures on Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine war, but China maintains that its trade relations with Moscow remain independent and legal under international norms.
The criticism came as Chinese and US officials held the second day of talks in Spain on economic and trade issues, aimed at stabilizing relations between the world’s two largest economies.