China's Foreign Ministry responds to US threat to impose duties on Russian oil purchases

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers energy cooperation with Russia legitimate and lawful. This was stated on briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, responding to the threats of the US leadership to impose duties on the country for buying Russian oil.

"China has repeatedly made clear its position on this issue. China's normal trade and energy cooperation with other countries, including Russia, is lawful and legitimate," the spokesman said.

Lin called Washington's actions "typical unilateral intimidation and economic coercion that will seriously violate international economic and trade rules and jeopardize the security and stability of global industrial supply chains."

He added that China's position on the Ukrainian crisis (as Beijing traditionally calls Russia's war against Ukraine) is objective, fair and honest.

"We strongly oppose the United States shifting this issue to China and imposing unlawful unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction on it," the statement said.

Beijing has promised "countermeasures to resolutely defend its sovereignty, security and development interests."

• On October 15, Trump said that the Indian prime minister had promised him to stop to buy oil in Russia. He called Modi's words a "big step" and said he had to convince China to do the same.
• Earlier, the US Treasury Secretary said that 85 senators are ready to give Trump the authority to impose duties on China of up to 500% for purchases of Russian oil.