China on Tuesday (Jan 13) pushed back against US President Donald Trump's newly-announced 25 per cent tariffs on nations doing business with Iran, saying it would protect its rights and interests.
What did China say?
Hours after Trump took to his Truth Social account to announce the 25 per cent penalising tariffs, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, in a statement, said that it has "always believed that there were no winners in a tariff war." She vowed that "China will resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests".
When asked about advice for Chinese citizens travelling to Iran, Ning said that Beijing was "closely monitoring the development of the situation".
"We will take all necessary measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens," she added.
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Trump's 25% tariffs to affect China, India and more
Trump on Monday (Jan 12) announced a sweeping new pressure move against Iran - a 25 per cent tariff on any country that continues doing business with Tehran while trading with the United States. Notably, New Delhi has a long history of trade and strategic ties with Tehran, including energy imports and the Chabahar Port project. The tariffs come as rights groups warn that Iran's crackdown on mass protests has turned increasingly lethal, with at least 648 people killed.
When will the tariffs be imposed? How will India be affected?
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the tariff would take effect "immediately" and described the order as "final and conclusive," without naming specific countries. According to data from Trading Economics, Iran's main trading partners include China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq. India has also been one of Tehran's top five trade partners in recent years. In 2024–25, according to the Indian Embassy in Tehran, India's trade with Iran totalled $1.68 billion, including $1.24 billion in exports and $440 million in imports.

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