President Donald Trump signaled the possibility of slapping new tariffs on Chinese goods in retaliation for Beijing’s ongoing oil imports from Russia. The move, which comes days after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian products over similar purchases, reflects growing efforts to pressure countries economically tied to Moscow. Though no final decision has been made, Trump stated the action against China “may happen,” despite concerns from within his own administration about the domestic fallout.

Tariffs Tied to Russian Oil Trade

Speaking from the White House, Trump responded to a question on whether China might face penalties like India for buying Russian oil: “I mean I don’t know. I can’t tell you yet. But I can — we did it with India. We’re doing it probably with a couple of others. One of them could be China”.

Recent Chinese customs data shows imports from Russia rose to $10.06 billion in July — the highest since March. Still, overall Russian imports are down nearly 8% from last year.

Internal Divisions on Tariff Strategy

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro downplayed the likelihood of immediate tariff escalation, stating: “We have over 50% tariffs on China. We don’t want to get to a point where we hurt ourselves.”

Tariffs remain a contentious tool: while Trump has used them as leverage in global energy politics, Navarro and others warn they risk boomeranging on the U.S. economy. China previously responded to tariffs by leveraging its rare-earth mineral exports to push back against Washington.

U.S.-China Tensions on Pause — For Now

U.S.-China trade tensions had eased earlier in 2025 after both sides agreed to hold off on raising tariffs and opened talks on chip tracking and rare-earth supply chains. A potential summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping remains on the table, though unresolved issues persist.

Trump’s renewed threat, however, may throw such plans into doubt and rekindle volatility in global trade relations just as both economies struggle with post-pandemic recovery and geopolitical realignments tied to the Russia-Ukraine war.