A sharp shift in the tone of global diplomacy has emerged as Chinese media and officials extend rare public support to India in its ongoing tariff battle with US President Donald Trump. The dispute was triggered when Trump announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports, pushing the total levy to 50 per cent. The US move was aimed at penalising India for continuing imports of Russian oil despite strong objections from Washington.
China’s state-run tabloid Global Times published a strongly worded commentary under the headline, “India’s strategic balancing hits the wall of US unilateral hegemony.” The article went beyond trade numbers, arguing that Washington’s actions reflect a deeper discomfort with India’s independent foreign policy. It added that India, in America’s eyes, may never have been treated as an equal partner but rather as a “menu item” that could be discarded when inconvenient.
The editorial recognised India’s careful diplomacy — engaging with BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation while maintaining working ties with the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific. But it warned that such a balancing act is bound to clash with America’s desire to dominate global decision-making.
Lending diplomatic weight to these words, China’s Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, used social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to condemn Trump’s tariff measures, branding them an act of “bullying.” His remark, “Give the bully an inch, and he will take a mile,” sparked attention worldwide, especially as other nations like Brazil also face similar US trade actions. Xu cited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s view that tariff warfare violates rules laid out by the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation.
The Chinese embassy’s spokesperson in New Delhi, Yu Jing, also stressed that India alone has the sovereign right to determine its foreign policy, calling US tariff threats an unacceptable attempt to exert political pressure. This marks one of the clearest public displays of solidarity from Beijing towards New Delhi in recent years.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded by reaffirming its position that crude oil purchases from Russia are driven by market needs and national interest, rejecting the US tariffs as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.” The timing of China’s support is noteworthy, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to travel to China later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit — a development that could add new layers to India-China relations.
The episode underscores the evolving nature of global alliances, where traditional rivals can unite over shared concerns about economic coercion. By siding with India, Beijing is positioning itself as a defender of multilateralism and a critic of US unilateral trade policies.
For New Delhi, the backing from China offers a form of diplomatic reassurance as it pushes against Washington’s trade pressure, all while navigating a complex web of geopolitical relationships in a volatile global environment.
Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!
The Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan, a flagship initiative of the Uttar Pradesh government, has emerged as the most popular self-employment scheme among the...
A chilling discovery in Kolala village of Tumakuru district has sent shockwaves through Koratagere taluk. Locals were horrified on August 7 when a stray...
In a joint operation, Delhi Police Special Cell, Indian Security Agencies (ISA), and Nepal Police arrested notorious and most wanted arms supplier Sheikh Salim,...
