Trump threatens to raise tariffs against BRICS-aligned countries; China advocates ‘cooperation’

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Sunday night (6) to impose an additional 10% tariff on imports from countries aligned with BRICS—a bloc of Global South countries that includes, among others, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, the American president said the measure would apply to “any country that adopts anti-American policies promoted by BRICS.”

Chinese authorities countered the threat from Trump. On Monday (7), China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that BRICS does not seek confrontation with the United States. “Regarding the imposition of tariffs, China has reiterated that trade wars have no winners and protectionism is not the way forward,” she said.

According to Mao, BRICS represents an “important” platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries. “The bloc advocates openness, inclusiveness, and mutually beneficial cooperation,” she added.

Concern over unilateral measures
Trump’s announcement coincided with the BRICS Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro (RJ). At the end of the first day of the meeting, the group’s leaders—originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—released a joint statement expressing concern over the growing protectionism led by Washington.

“We express serious concern over the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that distort trade,” the summit’s final document reads. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) went further, stating that there is “an unprecedented collapse of multilateralism” underway and warning that the autonomy of nations is “at risk.”

Now, with 11 members, BRICS represents approximately half of the world’s population and accounts for around 40% of the global Gross Domestic Product. The group is increasingly seen as a counterweight to the economic dominance of the Global North.

Source: Brasil de Fato

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