China on Thursday firmly defended its ongoing oil purchases from Russia, calling them “legitimate” and condemning the United States for what it described as “unilateral bullying” and “economic coercion.” The sharp response came after US President Donald Trump claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to halt Russian oil imports and that Washington would pressure Beijing to do the same. Trump has repeatedly accused China and India of indirectly funding Russia’s war in Ukraine through continued energy trade.
Beijing’s foreign ministry quickly dismissed the remarks, asserting that its energy and trade cooperation with Moscow falls within the boundaries of international law. “The actions of the United States are a typical example of unilateral bullying and economic coercion,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said during a press briefing. He warned that China would take “firm countermeasures” if its national interests were harmed, emphasizing Beijing’s right to defend its sovereignty and maintain independent economic relations.
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China and Russia have strengthened their economic partnership since the onset of the Ukraine war, with Beijing refusing to denounce Moscow’s military actions or call for troop withdrawals. Western nations, including Kyiv’s allies, have long accused China of providing both political and financial support to Moscow by purchasing discounted Russian oil. However, Chinese officials maintain that their cooperation is purely commercial and not intended to undermine international sanctions or global stability.
Meanwhile, Beijing also criticized Washington’s recent decision to expand export controls and impose new port fees on Chinese vessels, calling the move “profoundly detrimental” to ongoing trade negotiations. The United States imposed these measures following a “Section 301” investigation, which deemed China’s dominance in the shipbuilding industry as harmful to American interests. In response, China introduced “special port fees” on American ships, with both sets of charges taking effect earlier this week.
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Commerce ministry spokeswoman He Yongqian accused the United States of “disregarding China’s sincerity” in trade consultations and causing “severe damage” to bilateral economic relations. She urged Washington to “immediately rectify its erroneous practices” and show respect for the outcomes of previous trade discussions. Despite earlier signs of easing tensions, the fragile truce between the world’s two largest economies now appears to be under renewed strain amid escalating retaliatory actions.