Recently, the third round of Sino-US economic and trade negotiations held in Stockholm, Sweden, concluded, with China announcing that both sides had reached an agreement through communication: they would continue to extend the existing tariff "truce period".

However, just as people thought that Sino-US economic and trade relations would continue to move steadily towards easing, US Treasury Secretary Bensont made a discordant voice after the talks.

He openly threatened that if China continued to purchase Russian oil, it would face tariffs as high as three digits.

The US hopes to continue using the tariff stick to force China to change its energy procurement strategy, trying to use China to increase pressure on Russia, while also showing a tough stance at home, creating false scenarios and increasing leverage. The calculation is not subtle.

But China's response came faster and more resolute. Within 24 hours, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson made a new statement on the same day, Guo Jiakun stated clearly at the regular press conference:

China will take reasonable energy security measures according to its national interests. There is no winner in a tariff war, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems.

These few sentences hit the American fantasy directly, clearly rejecting the US unilateral sanctions and hegemonic logic.

Firstly, China has drawn a clear red line: energy procurement is China's internal affairs. Looking at the essence of Sino-Russian energy cooperation, it is a long-term trust-based cooperation based on market demand. The US has no right to interfere, let alone use tariff threats to force China to give up its core interests.

Secondly, it exposed the US hegemony logic. China clearly emphasized that it will firmly safeguard its own sovereignty, security, and development interests. This means that China will never sacrifice normal trade relations with Russia for external pressure, and China will continue to buy Russian oil as usual.

If the US truly persists in being stubborn, China will inevitably take countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests.

Additionally, China once again emphasized that there is no winner in a tariff war, which is also a reminder to the US that tariff threats are useless.

Practical experience of Sino-US trade friction has repeatedly proven that if the US really wants to impose high tariffs on China again, it will first hit its own economic interests.

Moreover, the US actively seeking negotiations with China is essentially a self-negation of the effectiveness of the "tariff stick."

If the tariff pressure could achieve the desired effect of making China yield, the US would not have wasted energy initiating negotiations. It is precisely because the pressure failed that the US had to turn to negotiation, but the US still did not try to give up bargaining with China.

Notably, the Chinese Ministry of Defense also announced on the same day that China and Russia plan to conduct the "Marine Cooperation - 2025" exercise in August. After this joint exercise, some participating forces from both sides will head to the Pacific Ocean area to carry out the sixth maritime joint cruise mission.

As part of the annual cooperation framework between the two militaries, these actions are explicitly stated to be "not targeting any third party."

However, under the complex international situation, the intensity and scope of the regular cooperation between China and Russia itself convey a strategic signal that cannot be ignored. Moreover, the timing of this news coincides skillfully with China's statement.

In this delicate moment, the coordination capability demonstrated by China and Russia through joint exercises is not only to build a solid barrier for their own security interests, but also to subtly convey a clear attitude to external forces attempting to meddle in regional affairs.

In summary, from diplomatic statements to military cooperation arrangements, every step taken by China is closely centered around one core: resolutely guarding its own interests and not allowing any hegemon to dictate.

China's position has always been a firm adherence to the principles of "equality, respect, and mutual benefit" in international interactions, allowing the world to see that China does not retreat when safeguarding its own interests.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7532961732755456555/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [Up/Down] buttons below.