China says BRICS not seeking 'confrontation' after Trump tariff threat

China said on Monday that BRICS, the grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia and India, was not seeking "confrontation" after US President Donald Trump vowed to impose an extra 10 percent tariff on countries aligning with the bloc.

BRICS is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the five major emerging markets with significant economic potential.

The bloc's membership has expanded since its first summit in 2009. In Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa are the only full member states of the bloc.

Uganda became a partner state of the BRICS in January this year. The leaders welcomed Uganda, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan as partner states. Indonesia was admitted as a full member state of the BRICS.

"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," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

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 US levies on imports would snap back to the high levels he set in April if countries failed to make agreements.

Vice President of Uganda, Jessica Alupo (L) and the President of the Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (R), during the official arrival ceremony of the Heads of State and Government officials of partner countries at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, on July 6th, 2025. (Credit: Hajarah Nalwadda)

And, 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" after they slammed his tariffs at a summit in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, BRICS has come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to US and western European power.

However, Beijing defended the grouping on Monday 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.

Opportunity to shape the narrative

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, represented by Vice-President Jessica Alupo told the summit that the forthcoming COP-30 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an opportunity for Brazil and BRICS, to shape the narrative for sustainable international action and consensus on issues of environment and climate change.

He said Uganda aligns itself with the BRICS Leaders Framework Declaration on Climate Finance.

President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva speaking during the plenary session "Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic and Financial Affairs and Artificial Intelligence", at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro, on July 6th, 2025. (Credit: Hajarah Nalwadda)

On the health front, Museveni said global health continues to pose a major concern for both developed and emerging economies.

Global pandemics, such as COVID-19, demonstrated the need for solidarity and partnership in mitigating future pandemics, according to Museveni.

"Global health is a priority for the international community, and there is an urgent need to adopt a holistic approach to address its funding, both for pandemics and disease," he said.

 He said Uganda fully supports the position of BRICs on issues of global health and aligns itself with the BRICS partnership for the elimination of socially determined diseases.