‘China issue is a little bit more complicated’: JD Vance sparks double-talk row over India tariffs

After hitting India with a steep tariff hike over its Russian oil imports, US President Donald Trump is now weighing whether to aim the same economic firepower at China — a move his vice president admits would be far more complicated and politically explosive.

Speaking to Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Vice President JD Vance confirmed that tariffs on China are “on the table” but stressed no decision has been made. “The president said he’s thinking about it, but he hasn’t made any firm decisions,” Vance said. “The China issue is a little bit more complicated because our relationship… affects a lot of other things that have nothing to do with the Russian situation.”

The remarks come as China’s imports of Russian oil surged past $10 billion in July, the highest monthly tally since March, even as year-to-date purchases remain 7.7% lower than in 2024.

Beijing has defended its trade with Moscow. “It is legitimate and lawful for China to conduct normal economic, trade and energy cooperation with all countries, including Russia,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Bloomberg News, vowing to “adopt reasonable energy security measures in accordance with our national interests.”

Trump’s senior adviser Peter Navarro played down the likelihood of immediate tariffs on Chinese goods, warning such duties “may hurt the US.”

The tariff threat echoes last week’s move against India, when Trump announced an additional 25% levy on Indian imports over its Russian oil purchases, raising the total duty to 50%. The hike, effective August 27, drew a sharp rebuke from New Delhi, which called it “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said its energy imports are market-driven and critical for meeting the needs of its 1.4 billion people. “Our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India,” it said.