Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong has expressed Beijing’s strong opposition to Washington’s imposing high tariffs on India and urged for increased cooperation between India and China. Xu referred to the US as a “bully”, criticizing its use of tariffs as a “bargaining chip” to demand high prices from other nations. He stated, “US has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India and even threatened for more. China firmly opposes it. Silence only emboldens the bully,” during his statement on Thursday. This comes after Trump imposed a 25% penalty on India, in addition to 25% tariffs for buying oil and weapons from Russia. The new rate will take effect on 27 August.
Delhi has increased its imports of cheap Russian crude since the Ukraine war, leading to strained ties with the US and affecting trade deal negotiations. India has defended its purchases of Russian oil, arguing that it must buy the cheapest available crude to protect millions of poor Indians from rising costs. The Biden administration has also advised India to purchase Russian oil to stabilize world energy markets. Amidst this, there seems to be a rapid improvement in ties between India and China.
Relations between India and China took a hit after the 2020 clashes in Galwan, Ladakh. However, both countries have been making efforts to gradually normalize their ties. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently made a two-day trip to Delhi and emphasized the importance of viewing each other as “partners” rather than “adversaries or threats”. Xu echoed similar sentiments while speaking at an event in the Indian capital. He referred to India and China as the “double engines” of economic growth in Asia and said that unity between the two countries benefits the entire world. He also invited more Indian enterprises to invest in China and expressed hope for India to provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises.
Xu criticized trade wars and power politics, stating that they disrupt the global economic and trade system and impact international rules and order. He affirmed China’s commitment to stand with India in upholding the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its core. Additionally, he mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit would give new impetus to China-India relations.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cger04e8g0vo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
