• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

China on Monday stated that the BRICS bloc does not seek conflict, reacting to US President Donald Trump's new threat to levy an additional 10% tariff on nations which are taking sides with what he called "anti-American" BRICS policies. "With regards to imposing tariffs, China has consistently made clear its view that trade war and tariff war have no victors and protectionism has no solution," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference, as cited by news agency AFP. The remark comes following the BRICS 2025 Summit in Brazil, where the blocs condemned US-Israeli recent airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities as "illegal" and against international law.

Reiterating Beijing's position, Mao Ning informed journalists that China strongly opposes the imposition of tariffs as a means of political coercion. "The use of tariffs benefits no one," Mao said, as reported by Reuters. The new US warning comes after the bloc's joint statement condemning the indiscriminate increase in tariffs, which BRICS leaders warned could damage world trade and destabilize supply chains. While the statement did not specifically mention the US, Trump said it was aimed at American interests. At the Brazil summit, BRICS nations, including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the UAE, released a strong statement denouncing the airstrikes against Iran and urging compliance with international law. The bloc also spoke about the current Gaza war, calling for peaceful responses and condemning unilateral military action. It also condemned the recent terror strike in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and called for action against cross-border terror.

Trump Says Tariff Letters Ready As Deadline Looms

President Trump, who has repeatedly called for tough trade action, announced he has signed tariff letters for 12 countries, which will be ready to be sent out on Monday at 12 PM EST. Making the announcement on his Truth Social site, Trump stated, "I am pleased to announce that the UNITED STATES TARIFF Letters, and/or Deals, with various Countries from around the World, will be delivered starting 12:00 P.M. (Eastern), Monday, July 7th. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP, President of The United States of America." This statement comes at the end of a 90-day pause on his administration's new tariffs, issued on April 2. The temporary reprieve was intended to give space for trade negotiations, but several nations have cautioned that the new hike would revive a new round of trade tensions.

ALSO READ: Trump To Release Tariff Letters For Several Countries Today, Vows Extra 10% Levies On BRICS Nations

The US President also threatened that countries joining BRICS the bloc comprising of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, may be charged an extra 10 per cent tariff, after BRICS leaders jointly criticised the US tariff policy as “illegal and arbitrary”, blaming it for disrupting global trade.

ALSO READ: Terror, Trade, AI, Global South And Reform: PM Modi’s 5 Big Messages From BRICS Summit

The rising trade tensions occur at a time when the Global South has protested what it perceives as double standards in global geopolitics. Addressing the same summit, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that often developing nations bear the consequence of such double standards and emphasized the requirement for fair global governance. With Trump's tariff letters said to be ready, only time will tell if major BRICS members and like-minded countries will retaliate or attempt new talks in order to prevent an all-out trade war.