China condemns U.S. sanctions bill targeting Russia trade, calls 500% duties “illegal” and harmful to peace efforts
Beijing strongly criticized a proposed U.S. bill allowing President Donald Trump to impose up to 500 percent secondary tariffs on countries trading with Russia, calling it a breach of international norms and an act of economic coercion.
Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the bill to increase pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. It has support from 85 U.S. senators.
Trump warned that if a peace deal is not reached within 50 days, he would implement 100 percent secondary tariffs on nations aiding Russia economically, including China, India, Brazil and Turkey.
China has played a key role in stabilizing Russia’s economy during the war through large-scale energy purchases, which Graham says fuel Putin’s military campaign.
The proposed secondary tariffs mark a major escalation in economic warfare, with potential global consequences, particularly for nations reliant on Russian energy exports.
The response came after U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) unveiled a bipartisan bill to tighten economic pressure on Russia over its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The proposed legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), would allow the U.S. president to impose secondary tariffs of up to 500 percent on countries continuing to do business with Moscow.
Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, July 13, Graham said the legislation already has the backing of 85 senators – an overwhelming majority in the 100-member chamber. He named China, India and Brazil as examples of countries whose trade with Russia could make them targets of the proposed secondary tariffs. The measure is designed to give Trump the flexibility to set tariffs ranging from zero to 500 percent on foreign trade with Russia. (Related: Western sanctions on Russia “seriously underestimated” Moscow’s economic strength.)
“China firmly opposes any illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction,” Lin said. “There are no winners in a tariff war and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems. It’s hoped all parties will further foster an environment and accumulate conditions to advance the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and take more actions that are conducive to peace talks.”
China has been a key economic lifeline for Russia amid Western sanctions, with large-scale purchases of Russian oil and other goods helping to stabilize Moscow’s wartime economy. Graham’s bill specifically calls out this economic support, arguing that it sustains President Vladimir Putin’s military operations.
Trump threatens 100% secondary tariffs on Russia’s trade partners if a Ukraine deal isn’t reached in 50 days
This comes as Trump threatens Russian President Vladimir Putin and his international trade partners that he would impose 100 percent “secondary tariffs” if a deal to end the war in Ukraine is not reached within 50 days.
Speaking from the White House during a meeting with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday, July 14, Trump expressed growing frustration with Putin and indicated that the time for patience had run out. “We’re very, very unhappy with them, and we’re going to be doing very severe tariffs, if you don’t have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent, they call them secondary tariffs,” Trump said.
The tariffs would target countries and entities that continue to trade with Russia, particularly those purchasing Russian energy and other key exports. The move would represent a significant escalation in economic pressure on Moscow’s wartime support network and could hit countries like China, India, Brazil and Turkey especially hard.
The proposed 100 percent secondary tariffs would mark one of the most aggressive uses of economic leverage in recent U.S. foreign policy and could have far-reaching implications for global trade and diplomacy.
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