US-China trade: Beijing warns Washington against coercion on Russian oil tariffs; vows to defend energy sovereignty

China on Wednesday issued a warning to the United States, rejecting threats of increased tariffs over its continued purchase of Russian oil. In a pointed response posted on X, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, “Tariff wars have no winners. Coercion and pressuring will not achieve anything.” He added that China would “firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests,” and would continue to secure its energy supplies in ways that serve national interests.The statement came after US treasury secretary Scott Bessent warned Chinese officials during trade talks in Stockholm that the US may impose significant tariffs if Beijing continues buying sanctioned Russian oil. According to The Straits Times, Bessent told the Chinese side that new legislation in Congress could authorise tariffs of up to 500 per cent on countries that purchase Russian oil, and may prompt US allies to follow suit in a coordinated effort to choke Moscow’s energy revenues.As per news agency ANI, the warning also included US objections to China’s purchase of Iranian oil and sales of over $15 billion worth of dual-use technology to Russia, items Washington says have bolstered Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine.Despite the sharp rhetoric, Bessent characterised the two-day US-China talks in Sweden as “constructive,” with both sides expressing willingness to explore an extension of the current tariff pause, which ends on August 12. As per news agency AP, Chinese trade official Li Chenggang confirmed that both countries had agreed to work toward extending the tariff truce and would maintain close contact to address trade concerns.The US has already finalised trade agreements with key partners like the UK, Japan, and the EU after US President Donald Trump’s announcement of broad “Liberation Day” tariffs earlier this year. However, a comprehensive deal with China remains elusive. US trade representative Jamieson Greer, speaking on MSNBC, acknowledged ongoing tensions but described China as “very pragmatic” and the talks as “going in the right direction.”Trump’s broader foreign policy posture remains aggressive. He recently shortened a 50-day deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a peace deal on Ukraine to just 10–12 days. Speaking alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland, Trump said, “I want to be generous, but we just don’t see any progress being made… I don’t want to do that to Russia, but it would be sanctions and maybe tariffs.”The Stockholm round offered little clarity on the possibility of a Trump-Xi summit, though Bessent said the talks reflected the two presidents’ shared desire to maintain trade negotiations. Trump, on his Truth Social platform, claimed he wasn’t seeking a summit with Xi, but acknowledged receiving an invitation from the Chinese leader.Amid escalating tensions over energy and technology trade, analysts believe Beijing is unlikely to yield under pressure. As Wendy Cutler of the Asia Society Policy Institute was quoted by AP, saying, “Beijing will not buy into a one-sided deal this time around.”