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After Slapping India With Oil Tariffs, Trump Hints China Could Be Next
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, August 6, that additional tariffs on China could be imposed, following the example of recent 25% duties announced on India over its imports of Russian oil.
“It may happen ... I can't tell you yet,” Trump told reporters, as quoted by Reuters on August 7. “We did it with India. We're doing it probably with a couple of others. One of them could be China.”
Trump added that further secondary sanctions aimed at pressuring Russia to end its war in Ukraine are also expected.
“Could happen,” he said, without providing additional details.
The comments come just one day after Trump issued an executive order raising tariffs on India to 50%, following an earlier 25% tariff imposition. The additional duties were introduced in response to India’s continued import of Russian oil.
“I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil. Accordingly, and as consistent with applicable law, articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent,” Trump wrote in the August 6 executive order.
According to the order, the new tariff rate will take effect 21 days after its issuance.
Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cautioned Chinese officials that ongoing imports of sanctioned Russian oil could trigger steep tariffs under a new bill advancing through Congress.
According to Bessent, the proposed legislation would authorize President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 500% on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil under sanctions. He noted that such measures could also encourage US allies to adopt similar actions aimed at curbing Russia’s energy revenues.
