In a rare show of solidarity, China has come out in support of India against steep tariff hikes imposed by the Donald Trump administration, with Beijing’s envoy describing Washington’s actions as “bullying.”
Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong said Beijing would stand firmly with New Delhi to defend the multilateral trading system, warning that the US was using tariffs as a bargaining tool to demand “exorbitant prices” from other nations.
“The United States has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India, and even threatened more. China firmly opposes this. We will stand with India to uphold the WTO-led trading system,” Xu said during a discussion ahead of next week’s SCO Summit in Tianjin, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend.
The remarks mark another sign of warming ties between the Asian neighbors, who recently resumed high-level talks and agreed to explore ways of resolving border disputes.
Xu further cautioned that “silence or compromise only emboldens the bully,” urging countries of the Global South to cooperate and resist protectionist pressures.
His comments echo those of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who earlier this week told External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar that both nations should expand cooperation amid “overwhelming bullying” and uncertainty in global trade.
The development comes as Trump slapped up to 50% tariffs on Indian goods and threatened more penalties over India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil.
