Beijing has sharply criticized Washington’s decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian imports, accusing the United States of acting like a “bully” in global trade. Chinese envoy Xu said the U.S., which has long enjoyed the benefits of free trade, is now using tariffs as a “bargaining chip” to extract “exorbitant prices” from other nations.
The remarks came after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a fresh 25% penalty on India earlier this month, on top of existing tariffs for New Delhi’s purchases of oil and weapons from Russia. With the new levies, tariffs on Indian goods have climbed as high as 50%, set to take effect on August 27. Xu warned that silence in the face of such measures would only “embolden the bully.”
India’s growing imports of discounted Russian crude since the Ukraine war have strained its trade relationship with Washington and complicated negotiations on a broader trade deal. New Delhi has defended its purchases, arguing that as a major energy importer, it must secure affordable oil to protect millions of poor households from rising fuel costs. Indian officials have also pointed out that Washington previously encouraged such purchases to stabilize global energy markets.
Against this backdrop of faltering India-U.S. ties, Beijing appears keen to position itself as a partner. Relations between India and China soured after deadly border clashes in Galwan, Ladakh in 2020, but both sides have since been working to normalize ties. Earlier this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited New Delhi, urging the two nations to view each other as “partners” rather than “adversaries or threats.”
Xu echoed this sentiment during his remarks in the Indian capital, describing India and China as the “double engines” of Asia’s economic growth. He invited more Indian firms to invest in China while urging New Delhi to ensure a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises.
“China will firmly stand with India to uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organisation at its core,” Xu said, while expressing hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit would inject “new impetus” into bilateral relations.
