China has said it would protect its rights and interests after US President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on any country doing business with Iran.
"We have always believed that there are no winners in a tariff war, and China will resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular news conference on Tuesday when asked about Trump's levy announcement.
In response to a question about advice for Chinese citizens travelling to Iran for tourism, Mao said Beijing was "closely monitoring the development of the situation".
"We will take all necessary measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens," she said.
China among Iran’s top export destinations
The tariff threat comes as Iran faces its biggest wave of anti-government protests in years, initially sparked by economic hardship before evolving into calls for the fall of the clerical leadership. A US-based rights group, HRANA, said it had verified the deaths of at least 648 people since the protests began, including demonstrators and security personnel.
Trump said on Monday that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25 percent tariff on all trade with the United States, announcing the move in a post on Truth Social.
There was no official documentation of the policy on the White House website, and it remained unclear under what legal authority the tariffs would be imposed or whether they would apply to all of Iran’s trading partners. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Iran has been under heavy US sanctions for years, but continues to trade with several countries, including China, the United Arab Emirates and India, which are among its top export destinations. Tariffs are paid by US importers of goods from targeted countries.
