U.S. Warns China of Tariffs over Russian Oil Imports

Washington: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said he warned Chinese officials that continued purchases of sanctioned Russian oil would lead to big tariffs due to legislation in Congress, but was told that Beijing would protect its energy sovereignty.

Wrapping up two days of U.S.-China trade talks in Stockholm, Bessent said he also expressed U.S. displeasure at China's continued purchases of sanctioned Iranian oil, and its sales of over $15 billion worth of dual-use technology goods to Russia that have bolstered Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Bessent said legislation in the U.S. Congress authorizing Trump to levy tariffs up to 500% on countries that purchase sanctioned Russian oil would draw U.S. allies into taking similar steps to cut off Russia's energy revenues.

Trump on Monday shortened a deadline for Moscow to make progress toward a Ukraine war peace deal or see its oil customers slapped with secondary tariffs of 100% in 10 to 12 days, reflecting his growing frustration with Russia's actions.

A YouTube spokesperson said the company would consider next steps and would continue to engage with the government.

"We share the government's goal of addressing and reducing online harms. Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It's not social media," the spokesperson said by email.

Online gaming, messaging apps, and health and education sites will be excluded from the centre-left government's minimum age rules as they pose fewer social media harms to teens under 16, or are regulated under different laws, Communications Minister Anika Wells said.

"The rules are not a set and forget, they are a set and support," Wells said.

Original News : World News | Reuters

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Scrabbl staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)