‘Illicit Unilateral Sanctions’: China Opposes Trump’s Threat Of 25% Tariffs On Countries Trading With Iran

Last Updated:January 13, 2026, 14:01 IST

China is Iran’s largest trading partner, making up around 30 per cent of Iran’s total foreign trade and most of its oil exports.

China Warns Against ‘Trade Wars’ After Trump’s Iran Tariff Order. (Image: Getty)

China has opposed US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on countries that continue to do business with Iran. Beijing described the move as coercive and ineffective.

In a post on X, a spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington said China “firmly opposes any illicit unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction". The statement came after Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on all goods and services imported from any country that trades with Iran.

According to Reuters reports, the spokesperson said China’s position against the indiscriminate use of tariffs was clear and consistent. He added that tariff and trade wars have no winners, and that pressure and coercion cannot solve international problems.

Trump’s tariff order

Trump said the order would take effect immediately and called it “final and conclusive". In his post, he warned that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25 per cent tariff on all trade with the United States.

The measure is global in scope and is expected to affect countries with strong trade or energy links to Iran. These include China and India, as well as Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the European Union.

China is Iran’s largest trading partner, making up around 30 per cent of Iran’s total foreign trade and most of its oil exports. However, Chinese customs data showed that trade between the two countries fell by 24 per cent in the first 11 months of last year.

Trump has linked the tariffs to Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protests. He is expected to impose the tariffs using executive authority, though his wider tariff powers are currently under challenge in the US Supreme Court, which is due to give a ruling this week.

News world ‘Illicit Unilateral Sanctions’: China Opposes Trump’s Threat Of 25% Tariffs On Countries Trading With Iran

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