China on Monday rejected a warning by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that Brazil, China and India could be hit by secondary US sanctions if they continue to trade with Russia.
“Dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way out of the Ukraine crisis,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference in Beijing.
He added that China opposes unilateral sanctions and long-term jurisdiction. He stressed that there are no winners in tariff wars and that coercion and pressure will lead nowhere.
After meeting with US President Donald Trump, Rutte told reporters that Trump had told him that if Russia is not serious about peace talks in Ukraine, he will impose tough secondary sanctions on countries such as India, China and Brazil within 50 days.
His comments came after Trump threatened on Monday to impose 100 percent secondary tariffs on Russia if a deal to end the war in Ukraine is not reached within 50 days.
“The US will now massively supply Ukraine with US weapons, not only air defense, but also missiles, and also ammunition paid for by the Europeans,” Rute said.
However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin said he hoped the parties would help create an atmosphere and conditions for a political resolution of the crisis in Ukraine.
Regarding comments about China by former US national security adviser Mike Waltz, who is Trump’s nominee for the UN, Lin said such statements reflect typical ideological bias, a Cold War, zero-sum mentality, which China resolutely rejects.
During the confirmation vote, Waltz said the US must block and suppress Chinese influence at the UN.
Lin, however, called for reasonable, concrete efforts from the US side for sustainable bilateral ties.
