'We don't plan wars': China hits back at Trump's tariff threat over Russian oil; slams US appeal to Nato

China has hit back strongly at the Donald Trump-led US after Washington called on its Nato allies to impose major sanctions on Beijing -- 50 to 100 per cent -- alleging China’s role in funding Russia and adding to its lethal potency in the war against Ukraine.

In response, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi reiterated that China is committed to promoting peace talks to resolve hot-spot issues, saying "wars cannot solve problems and sanctions would only complicate them."Wang made the remarks at a press conference in Ljubljana on Saturday after his meeting with Slovenia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, China Daily reported.“China does not participate in or plan wars, and what China does is to encourage peace talks and promote political settlement of hotspot issues through dialogue,” Wang Yi said.The Chinese foreign minister also called for promoting multilateralism, strengthening multilateral mechanisms, and jointly safeguarding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.He specified that the current international situation is marked by “intertwined chaos and continuous conflicts.”

“China and Europe should be friends rather than rivals, and should cooperate rather than confront each other. Making the right choices amid the greatest changes in a century demonstrates the responsibilities that both sides should fulfill towards history and the people,” Wang Yi said, as reported by Global Times.His veiled reference came shortly after US President Donald Trump on Saturday proposed that Nato impose tariffs of 50 per cent to 100 per cent on China.“I believe that this, plus Nato, as a group, placing 50 per cent to 100 per cent TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the WAR with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful Tariffs will break that grip.”

Trump’s renewed tariff threat came on the heels of his recent attempts to mediate and broker peace in the ongoing, intensifying war between Russia and Ukraine.Previously, Trump also accused Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping of “conspiring against” the United States. The accusation followed China’s largest-ever military parade held on September 3, which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended.Hours after accusing Chinese President Xi Jinping of “conspiring against” America, Trump said his personal ties with the Chinese leadership were “very good.”Interestingly, this time, Trump left India out of his recent gambit, amid indications that Washington and New Delhi are working towards a separate deal. Earlier, Trump had also targeted India with his tariff rhetoric, already imposing a 50 per cent duty on New Delhi on similar grounds, accusing it of bolstering Russia through its “massive oil purchase" from Moscow.