Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has said that China may be the next country to face a similar trade punishment after he signed an executive order that boosted duties on Indian imports by a huge amount. The President’s comments came on Wednesday, only hours after he signed an order to raise the duty on all Indian goods by 25%, bringing the total to 50%. India’s new tariffs will go into effect on August 27.
When a reporter at the White House asked Trump if he had similar plans for China, he said, “It could happen.” It depends on how we do. It may happen. He went on to say that “a couple of others” besides India could potentially see higher tariffs, and China was one of those countries. When asked what would happen if China faced tariffs, Trump said, “It may happen.” I don’t know what to say. I can’t tell you yet, but I can. We accomplished it with India. We might be doing it with a few other people. It may be China.
The President is taking these steps because other countries are still doing business with Russia, especially buying Russian oil. The Trump administration says that this commerce helps pay for Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine.
India has fiercely criticized the U.S. tariff increase, calling it “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that the U.S. and European Union have “double standards and hypocrisy” because they are still trading with Russia even if there is a war going on.
When India criticized him by saying that other nations, like China, are also buying Russian oil, Trump ignored the argument and said that “a lot more secondary sanctions” are coming. “It’s only been eight hours.” “Let’s see what happens,” he remarked. “You’re going to see a lot more…” There will be a lot of secondary sanctions.
The President didn’t say whether the extra tariffs on India would be lifted if Russia and Ukraine reach a peace settlement. He answered, “Well, we’ll decide that later, but right now they’re paying a 50% tariff.” This left the door open for modifications in the future while confirming the current economic pressure on India.