Trump raises tariff threat over possible China arms to Iran
Trump warns China could face serious consequences if Beijing sends weapons to Iran, as Beijing denies the allegation
US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on China if there is clear evidence that Beijing is supplying weapons to Iran.
The warning came during an interview on Fox Business programme Sunday Morning Futures, hosted by Maria Bartiromo, in response to questions about an earlier US threat to impose a 50% import tariff on countries that provide weapons to Iran. Bartiromo asked whether those countries included China.
Trump replied: “Yes.”
It was the first time Trump had publicly named China directly in connection with his threat to raise import tariffs, amid widespread speculation over which countries could be targeted. The threat also came after ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran in Pakistan ended without any agreement.
The US leader tied economic interests to the conflict with Iran by threatening tariff measures against any country that directly supplies arms to Tehran. The warning is being seen as a deterrent that could have significant implications for US-China relations, global supply chains and diplomatic efforts to prevent the war from widening.
President Donald Trump, speaking to a group of reporters on Saturday afternoon as he departed the White House to fly to Miami, said that "if China does that, China can have big problems."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington denied the report, saying China had not provided weapons to any party in the conflict and that the information was untrue.
