After slapping heavy tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, US President Donald Trump is now considering similar measures against China, Vice President JD Vance said Sunday. However, no final decision has been made yet, as the US weighs the complexities of its relationship with China.
During an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Vance was asked whether the US would target China with tariffs similar to those slapped on India for buying Russian oil.
He responded, “Well, the president said he’s thinking about it, but he hasn’t made any firm decisions. Obviously, the China issue is a little bit more complicated because our relationship with China, just. It affects a lot of other things that have nothing to do with the Russian situation. So the president’s reviewing his options and, of course, going to make that decision when he decides.”
CHINA’S INCREASING IMPORTS FROM RUSSIA
According to the customs data, China’s imports of Russian oil rose to over $10 billion in July, the highest monthly total since March. While overall imports from Russia this year remain down by 7.7% compared with the same period in 2024.
China defended its energy trade with Russia amid US threats of tariffs. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated in a Friday briefing to Bloomberg News, “It is legitimate and lawful for China to conduct normal economic, trade and energy cooperation with all countries around the world, including Russia. We will continue to adopt reasonable energy security measures in accordance with our national interests.”
While Trump has targeted China’s purchases of Russian oil, his senior adviser Peter Navarro downplayed the possibility of new tariffs on Chinese exports. Navarro warned that higher duties “may hurt the US.”
US IMPOSES TARIFFS ON INDIA
Last week, Trump announced an additional 25 per cent trade tariff on Indian imports after warning the country over its oil purchases from Russia, taking the total levy to 50 per cent. The new tariffs will take effect on August 27.
India reacted strongly to the increased duties, condemning them as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.” The Ministry of External Affairs stressed that India’s energy imports are driven by market factors and aimed at securing energy supplies for its population of 1.4 billion.
“We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India,” the ministry said in an official statement.
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