As President Donald Trump warned that america would impose an extra 10 per cent tariff on any nation which aligns itself with the “anti-American insurance policies of BRICS”, at the very least three members of the grouping — China, Russia and South Africa — responded sharply on Monday.
Trump’s feedback got here after the BRICS declaration on Sunday, in an indirect reference to the US, raised “severe considerations” concerning the rise in tariffs, which, it mentioned, had been “inconsistent with WTO (World Commerce Organisation) guidelines” and “threaten to scale back international commerce, disrupt international provide chains and introduce uncertainty.”
BRICS leaders, together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro for a two-day summit on July 6-7.
Hours later, in a put up on Reality Social, Trump mentioned: “Any nation aligning themselves with the Anti-American insurance policies of BRICS, will probably be charged an extra 10% tariff. There will probably be no exceptions to this coverage”. He didn’t make clear or develop on the “Anti-American insurance policies” reference in his put up.
BRICS, initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to incorporate Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia becoming a member of in 2025.
China mentioned BRICS will not be a bloc for confrontation and doesn’t goal any third nation. “BRICS is a crucial platform for cooperation amongst rising markets and creating nations,” Chinese language Overseas Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning instructed a media briefing in Beijing.
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“It advocates openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation. It’s not a bloc for confrontation. Nor does it goal any nation,” Mao mentioned. Referring to Trump’s tariff hike threats, she mentioned China has made its place clear. “Commerce conflict and tariff conflict haven’t any winners,” she mentioned.
Russia mentioned the BRICS group doesn’t search to undermine different nations. “We now have certainly seen such statements by President Trump, however it is vitally essential to notice right here that the individuality of a bunch like BRICS is that it’s a group of nations that share frequent approaches and a typical world view on methods to cooperate, based mostly on their very own pursuits,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “And this cooperation inside BRICS has by no means been, and can by no means be, directed towards any third nations,” Peskov mentioned.
South Africa’s international ministry spokesperson mentioned the BRICS group needs to be seen as a push for “reformed multilateralism, nothing extra”.
“BRICS goals are primarily about making a extra balanced and inclusive international order that higher displays the financial and political realities of the twenty first century,” South African international ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri instructed Reuters.
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In his handle on the summit earlier than Trump’s feedback, Modi mentioned: “Our confidence within the variety and multipolarity of the BRICS group is our biggest energy. Immediately, because the world order faces pressures from all sides, and the world goes by many challenges and uncertainties, the growing relevance and affect of BRICS is pure. We should always collectively think about how BRICS can develop into a information for the multipolar world within the instances to come back.”
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who hosted the summit, additionally criticised NATO’s choice to hike army spending by 5 per cent of GDP yearly by 2035.