China warns 'firm countermeasures' if US imposes sanctions over Russian oil imports

China on Thursday defended its oil imports from Russia as legitimate and lawful, warning the US that it would take “firm countermeasures” if it imposed unilateral sanctions affecting Beijing's interests.

The US' approach amounted to unilateral bullying and economic coercion, which severely undermines international trade rules and threatens the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing here.

China's normal trade and energy cooperation with countries around the world, including Russia, is legitimate and lawful, Lin said, responding to a question on US President Donald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him of not buying oil from Russia, and it was now time for China to do the same.

Trump told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that the US was “not happy” about India's purchase of Russian crude, arguing such imports helped finance President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

“Modi assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big step. Now we've got to get China to do the same thing,” he said.

Lin said China has always maintained an objective and fair stance on the Ukraine crisis, and its policy is open and above board for all to see.

“We firmly oppose the US' action of directing the issue at China, and we strongly oppose imposing illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction on China,” he said.

"If China's legitimate rights and interests are harmed, we will take firm countermeasures to safeguard our sovereignty, development, and security interests,” Lin said.

India is the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels behind China, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently said China buys 60 per cent of Russian energy.

Besides oil, Russia also source most of its gas supplies from Russia through cross-border pipelines.

Reacting to Bessent's comments that Beijing's rare earth export curbs amounted to “China versus the world” and that the US will speak with its allies to prepare a “fulsome group response”, Lin said the measures are in line with international common practice.

They are aimed at better safeguarding world peace and regional stability and to fulfil non-proliferation and other international obligations, he said.

China, which virtually holds a monopoly over the rare earth materials, recently announced further export controls for mining and processing the minerals, alleging that unnamed foreign firms are using its supplies for military purposes.

Beijing's move angered Trump, who threatened 100 per cent tariffs against Chinese goods.

"We're going to be speaking with our European allies, with Australia, with Canada, with India and the Asian democracies," Bessent told CNBC on Wednesday.

"And we're going to have a fulsome group response to this because bureaucrats in China cannot manage the supply chain or the manufacturing process for the rest of the world," he added.

China accounts for about 70 per cent of the world's rare earth mining and nearly 90 per cent of processing, making it the main supplier of the precious metals used in automobile, electronics, renewable energy, and defence industries.

China's rare earth metals are much in demand as the US, the European Union, and India are its top importers.

Separately, Commerce Ministry spokesperson He Yongqian said Beijing remained open to resolving trade issues with Washington through dialogue.

Asked whether China would hold a new round of economic and trade talks before the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in South Korea, he said Beijing has always maintained an open attitude toward equal consultations based on mutual respect.