Beijing, July 7, 2025:China has firmly stated that the BRICS group is not pursuing confrontation in response to recent U.S. tariff threats by President Trump.
🗣️ Key Highlights:
- Spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that BRICS is an “important platform for cooperation among emerging markets,” and urged openness, inclusivity, and mutually beneficial collaboration—not confrontation or targeting any country.
- She reiterated China’s long-held position that trade and tariff wars yield no winners, and criticized protectionism as a dead-end.
- Mao strongly rejected the use of tariffs as political leverage, stating such measures “serve no one’s interest.”
These comments follow President Trump’s warning—issued via social media—that any country aligning with what he described as BRICS’ “anti-American policies” would face an additional 10% U.S. tariff.
🌍 Context from the BRICS Summit:
- At the BRICS 2025 Summit in Brazil, the expanded bloc—including Brazil, China, India, Russia, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE—jointly denounced rising unilateral tariffs as illegal, saying they threaten global trade and destabilize supply chains.
- They did not name the U.S. directly but voiced “serious concerns” over such protectionist measures and called for adherence to international law.
🧭 Bottom Line:
China’s statement aims to reassure that BRICS stands for economic cooperation, not confrontation. Nonetheless, the group reaffirmed its opposition to unilateral tariffs, highlighting escalating tensions between rising economies and U.S. trade policy.