China on Monday expressed strong opposition to the use of tariffs as a tool for pressuring other countries, responding to a recent threat by former US President Donald Trump to impose additional tariffs on BRICS nations over what he called "anti-American policies".
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, speaking at a regular press conference on July 7, said that resorting to tariffs benefits no one. She emphasized that the BRICS grouping is rooted in openness, inclusiveness, and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Mao further stated that BRICS is a platform for collaboration among emerging and developing nations and is not aimed against any specific country.
BRICS originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, which held their first summit in 2009. In 2024, the group expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
In a separate announcement, Trump said the U.S. would begin dispatching official letters to countries outlining the revised tariff regulations and trade agreement terms. These letters were scheduled to be sent out starting 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time on Monday, July 7, with the first batch reaching countries around 9:30 PM IST.
