China warns it will respond if 'secondary sanctions' imposed

China firmly opposes the United States' call for the G7 and NATO allies to impose hefty tariffs on Beijing for its purchase of oil from Russia, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its rights and interests, the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday.

The US attempt to coerce relevant parties to impose "secondary sanctions" on China over its purchases of Russian oil is a typical act of unilateral bullying and economic coercion, a spokesperson for the ministry said.

"China has consistently opposed the use of so-called 'Russia-related' issues as a pretext to impose trade restrictions on China," the spokesperson said, adding that this could have a severe impact on global trade and supply chain stability.

If any party seeks to harm China's interests, China will take all necessary measures to safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests, the spokesperson added.

"The US should be mindful of its words and actions, and work together with China to continue addressing economic and trade differences through equal dialogue and consultation," the spokesperson said.

wangkeju@chinadaily.com.cn