BEIJING, August 4. /TASS/. The United States will not be able to derail China’s trade with sanctions-hit Russia and Iran, expert from the Tsinghua University Gao Jian told TASS, commenting on Donald Trump’s threats to slap secondary sanctions on Russia’s trade partners.

"The United States is proposing to introduce 100% import duties on Russia and its trade partners. This decision was made amid Russia’s firm stance in the conflict in Ukraine and the firm position of India during trade negotiations with the US. The main countries being targeted by this policy are Russia, India and China. Normal bilateral relations between China and Russia is the natural result of China’s adherence to its state sovereignty. The position of the US will not influence normal bilateral trade of China with such countries as Russia and Iran, which are under US sanctions," the expert said.

Many European countries have continued using Russian energy to a certain extent even despite the conflict in Ukraine, Gao said. "Rejecting cheap Russian energy will be a serious blow against the European economy," he noted.

The US policy of high duties also acts as an added lever of pressure on India at a critical juncture in trade talks between the countries, which is characteristic of the Trump administration’s high octane tactics, the expert said. "Considering the vulnerability of the Indian economic system, it will have to make concessions to the US in the future. However, the probability that India will completely abandon dealing in Russian energy is extremely low. Trump’s recent statements about the international status and the economic position of India deal a serious blow to India's balancing strategy," Gao added.