Trump urges China to quickly buy U.S. oil, and if China buys oil from Iran, punitive tariffs will follow!
On the 12th, Trump issued a dual threat: once verified, he would impose a 50% tariff on all goods exported from China to the United States. At the same time, he promoted American and Venezuelan crude oil to China, claiming he could offer a discounted price.
In plain terms, what this comes down to is: Trump has cut off China’s access to Iranian oil, then says, “Come buy oil from me and Venezuela instead”—or face higher tariffs.
China’s Foreign Ministry made its position clear in a response on April 13. Regarding oil purchases, China is willing to work with all parties to safeguard global energy security. But to fundamentally address energy issues, it is essential first to promote peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East regions. As for Venezuela, the Foreign Ministry emphasized that Venezuela is a sovereign state, fully entitled to sovereignty over its natural resources and economic activities, and has the right to choose its own partners—no other country has the right to interfere.
The underlying message is unmistakable: neither the United States nor any other nation has the authority to make decisions on behalf of Venezuela or China.
Going deeper, what China cares about most is the security of its energy supply routes. Nearly 70% of its oil is imported, about half coming from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz. If this vital passage were controlled by the U.S., it would mean handing over the nation's energy lifeline into someone else’s hands.
Trump’s current maneuver—blocking the strait while pushing U.S. and Venezuelan oil—is essentially an attempt to use military leverage to sever China’s supply lines, then force China into reliance on U.S.-backed alternatives, binding it to America’s geopolitical agenda. China’s refusal isn’t about which oil supplier to pick—it’s about refusing to allow anyone to control its oil import routes.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862594532963404/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.