WASHINGTON – U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio has responded to why China, the largest consumer of Russian oil, has been exempted from additional tariffs. In an interview with Fox Business, he stated that China refines crude oil purchased from Russia and sells it on the global market. Imposing additional tariffs on China would likely lead to a surge in global oil prices, which is why the country was exempted from the measure.
When asked whether European countries buying Russian oil would face tariffs, Rubio said he did not have precise information on the matter but added that the possibility of a secondary tariff remains. The U.S. had previously imposed a 25 percent secondary tariff on Indian imports after the country failed to comply with a U.S. directive to stop buying Russian oil.
