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China responds to Trump's additional tariff threat for BRICS members
Replying to Donald Trump's fresh tariff threat, Chinese foreign ministry said BRICS grouping is not seeking ‘confrontation’.
China on Monday said the BRICS grouping is not seeking “confrontation”, responding to US President Donald Trump's threat to impose an additional 10% tariff on countries aligning with the bloc's “anti-America” policies.
"Regarding the imposition of tariffs, China has repeatedly stated its position that trade and tariff wars have no winners and protectionism offers no way forward," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, reported news agency AFP.
Beijing's statement came after Trump warned of punitive tariffs against countries adopting what he called "anti-American" BRICS policies. His latest threat follows the BRICS 2025 Summit in Brazil, where member states condemned the US-Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities as “illegal.”
China also voiced strong opposition to the use of tariffs as a means of political coercion, Ning was responding to a question at a routine press briefing, when he reiterated Beijing’s stance, saying, “The use of tariffs serves no one,” reported Reuters.
BRICS slams US-Israel strikes on Iran
At the BRICS 2025 summit in Brazil, the 10-member bloc — comprising Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates — issued a joint statement condemning the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities.
Also Read | Trump warns of additional tariff for countries aligning with ‘anti-American BRICS policies'
The statement described the attacks as “illegal,” and called for adherence to international law. This marks one of the strongest joint condemnations by BRICS on Western military action.
The joint declaration also criticised the “indiscriminate rising of tariffs”. The group did not mention the US directly, however, it maintained that such actions could jeopardize global trade and destabilize international supply chains.
The condemnation appeared to directly trigger Trump’s latest tariff threat, as he accused the bloc of adopting policies that undermine American interests. The US president has said that countries supporting such resolutions should be prepared for economic consequences.
Also Read | Global South a victim of double standards: PM Modi
Apart from the Iran issue, the summit also addressed the war in Gaza, with BRICS nations expressing concern over unilateral military actions. The group voiced the sentiments of the Global South, stressing the need for peaceful solutions and criticizing the escalation of violence in the region.
In the BRICS declaration, member countries also condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and urged action against the cross-border movement of terrorists and financing networks.
Trump says tariff letters ready as deadline nears
Amid heightened global concern, Trump announced that he has prepared tariff letters for 12 countries, which are “signed and ready.” He said the letters would be issued on Monday at 12 PM EST.
This comes as the US approaches the end of a temporary pause on revised tariffs. On April 2, Trump had announced a sweeping hike in tariff rates for all US trading partners, sparking a wave of diplomatic backlash and stalled trade negotiations. In response, the administration granted a 90-day pause, later extended until July 9.
