China responded firmly to US President Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose an additional 10% tariff on countries aligned with the BRICS bloc’s “anti-America” policies, emphasizing that the BRICS grouping is not seeking confrontation. At a routine press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning reiterated Beijing’s stance that trade and tariff wars yield no winners and that protectionism is not a viable path forward. She condemned the use of tariffs as a tool for political coercion, stating, “The use of tariffs serves no one,” underscoring China’s opposition to punitive trade measures.
The US tariff threat follows the recent BRICS 2025 Summit held in Brazil, where the ten-member bloc including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates jointly condemned the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, labeling them “illegal” and urging adherence to international law. The BRICS declaration also criticized the indiscriminate rise in tariffs, warning that such actions could destabilize global trade and supply chains, though it did not explicitly name the US. The summit further addressed the conflict in Gaza, advocating for peaceful resolutions and condemning unilateral military escalations, reflecting the concerns of the Global South.
In response to the BRICS summit and its statements, President Trump announced that tariff letters targeting 12 countries supporting the bloc’s policies are “signed and ready” to be issued imminently. This move comes as the US nears the end of a temporary pause on revised tariffs, initially imposed in April to counteract trade imbalances but later suspended amid diplomatic tensions. The administration’s decision to potentially reinstate and increase tariffs has sparked concerns over escalating trade conflicts and their impact on international relations and economic stability.
