China has hit out at the US over President Donald Trump's recent call for 50-100% tariffs on Beijing for its close ties with Russia. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has reiterated that China is committed to promoting peace talks for resolving hot-spot issues.
While speaking at a news conference in Slovenia capita Ljubljana on Saturday, Wang Yi said that wars cannot solve problems and that sanctions would only complicate them, China Daily reported.
"China does not participate in or plan wars, and what China does is to encourage peace talks and promote political settlement of hotspot issues through dialogue," Wang Yi reportedly said.
The Chinese minister was speaking after meeting Slovenia Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon.
Also Read: Trump calls for a 50-100% tariff on China to break Russia’s war machine
Wang Yi further said China is a responsible country with "the best record on peace and security issues". He added that there is a need to promote multilateralism, strengthen multilateral mechanisms and jointly safeguard the principles of the UN Charter.
{{/usCountry}}Wang Yi further said China is a responsible country with "the best record on peace and security issues". He added that there is a need to promote multilateralism, strengthen multilateral mechanisms and jointly safeguard the principles of the UN Charter.
{{/usCountry}}He also said that the international situation is currently intertwined with chaos and conflicts and therefore China and Europe should be friends, rather than rivals.
“China and Europe should be friends rather than rivals, and should cooperate rather than confront each other. Making the right choices amid the greatest changes in a century demonstrates the responsibilities that both sides should fulfill towards history and the people,” the minister said, according to Global Times.
The minister's remarks come after Trump called for a 50-100% tariff on China for the purchase of Russian oil till the Ukraine conflict ends. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said NATO’S commitment to winning the war “has been far less than 100%" and the purchase of Russian oil by some members of the alliance is “shocking.”
In an apparent remark at NATO members, Trump said: “It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia.”
The US President's recent remarks against China came after he imposed a 50% tariff on India over the purchase of Russian oil last month. Trump has not imposed tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, including China, Turkey, Hungary and Slovakia.