NEW DELHI: Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong on Thursday sharply criticised US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian exports, saying, "give the bully an inch, he will take a mile.”
The ambassador’s remarks came just hours after Trump, during a White House press conference, signalled that China could be next in line for similar penalties due to its energy ties with Moscow. When asked whether secondary sanctions could apply to China—the largest importer of Russian crude—Trump said, “We’re looking at all options.”
Xu’s post was accompanied by a recent statement from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who in a phone call with Brazilian President Lula da Silva’s top advisor, Celso Amorim, condemned Trump's use of tariffs as a coercive tool.
"Using tariffs as a weapon to suppress other countries violates the UN Charter, undermines WTO rules and is both unpopular and unsustainable," Wang said.
India has already termed the US move "unfortunate," pointing out that other major importers of Russian oil—including China—have so far avoided similar penalties.