
'BRICS Not Seeking Confrontation': China After Donald Trump's Extra 10% Tariff Threat
China dismissed Trump's tariff threat, stating BRICS is not confrontational and promotes inclusive, cooperative development.
BRICS, the grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia and India is not seeking 'confrontation", China said on Monday after US President Donald Trump vowed to impose an extra 10 per cent tariff on countries aligning with the bloc.
Talking to reporters, Mao Ning, China's foreign ministry spokesperson said, '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."
Beijing further defended the grouping as 'an important platform for cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries".
'It advocates openness, inclusivity and win-win cooperation," Mao said.
'It does not engage in camp confrontation and is not targeted at any country," she said.
Earlier today, Trump said he would send the first tariff letters to various countries on Monday, days before his deadline for trading partners to reach a deal expires.
He said on Sunday he would send a first batch of up to 15 letters, warning that the US levies on imports would snap back to the high levels he set in April if countries failed to make agreements.
Later, in a post on his Truth Social network, he threatened a further 10 per cent tariff on countries aligning themselves with the emerging BRICS nations, accusing them of 'anti-Americanism".
His comments came after the BRICS bloc condemned the increase in tariffs without naming Trump. Leaders of the BRICS are meeting in Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit on July 6-7.
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
On April 9, Trump announced a complete three-month pause on all the 'reciprocal" tariffs after insisting historically high tariffs were here to stay.
Later that month, he told Time magazine that he had already struck 200 trade deals but declined to say with whom.
So far, Trump has only announced deals with three countries – the United Kingdom, which maintained a 10 per cent tariff rate; China, which temporarily paused sky-high duties on most goods from 145 per cent to 30 per cent; and a minimum 20 per cent tariff on goods from Vietnam.
First Published:
July 07, 2025, 13:25 IST
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