Qatar Critiques US Sanctions; China Responds with Tariffs on Canada

Qatar’s Prime Minister critiques US unilateral sanctions for weakening the dollar and creating alternative markets. He argues that sanctions punish individuals rather than states, without achieving desired outcomes. Concurrently, China imposes tariffs on Canadian goods due to perceived discrimination, responding to Canada’s increased tariffs on imports from China.

Qatar’s leadership has criticized the practice of unilateral US sanctions, asserting that it may undermine the dollar’s global dominance and foster parallel currency markets. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the country’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, emphasized this concern during an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, stating that sanctions often lead to countries seeking alternatives to the dollar in trade.

Al Thani referenced the sanctions against Russia following the Ukraine conflict, predicting these actions would create conditions for alternative currency markets. He explained that unilateral sanctions limit American companies’ opportunities while allowing sanctioned nations, like Iran and Venezuela, to adapt and meet their citizens’ needs.

Expressing Qatar’s stance, the Prime Minister noted, “Qatar’s fundamental position is that we believe that unilateral sanctions are ineffective because they punish people, not a state or a regime.” He highlighted that throughout his diplomatic career, he had not seen sanctions achieve their intended results.

In a related development, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced imposing additional tariffs on select Canadian goods in response to perceived discriminatory restrictions. These measures were characterized as infringing on the legitimate rights of Chinese companies amidst Canada’s recent tariff increases on imports from China, particularly electric vehicles and metals.

China stated that these tariffs stemmed from its foreign trade and tariff laws and urged Canada to rectify its actions to alleviate negative impacts on trade relations. The trade tensions were ignited after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement of heightened tariffs, leading to the investigation by the Chinese authorities.

The criticisms from Qatar emphasize the potential drawbacks of unilateral sanctions by the US, including the risk of weakening the dollar’s position and fostering alternative markets. Furthermore, China’s retaliatory tariffs against Canada highlight the complexities arising from international trade disputes, especially in light of recent restrictive measures. Both situations exemplify how unilateral actions can lead to broader economic ramifications and strained diplomatic relations.

Original Source: fakti.bg