Beijing has warned against “unilateral actions” targeting Chinese interests, as the US intensifies pressure on Western allies to impose steep tariffs on China and India for allegedly “enabling” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by continuing to buy Russian oil.
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US President Donald Trump issued a letter to Nato members on Saturday, urging them to stop buying Russian oil and jointly impose major sanctions on Russia to help end its war in Ukraine.
Trump also proposed that Nato collectively impose 50 per cent to 100 per cent tariffs on China, which he claims holds significant influence over Russia.
“I am ready to do major sanctions on Russia when all Nato nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all Nato nations stop buying oil from Russia,” he posted on social media.
“China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia,” he wrote, adding that powerful tariffs “will break that grip”.
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Trump has expressed growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin and threatened secondary sanctions on countries buying its oil, notably China and India.