Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a sharp critique of unilateral trade practices during the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, emphasizing the need to uphold the World Trade Organization (WTO)-led multilateral trading system. His remarks highlighted growing tensions over global economic governance as nations navigate shifting trade policies.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, accused the U.S. of prioritizing domestic interests over international cooperation. \"Having long reaped enormous benefits from free trade, the United States is now using tariffs as leverage to extort exorbitant demands,\" he stated, urging BRICS members to resist protectionism.
The foreign minister framed the debate as a pivotal test for emerging economies: \"If one chooses to stay silent and compromise, it will only embolden the bullies to push further.\" His call for solidarity comes as BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—increasingly collaborate on economic initiatives challenging Western-dominated financial systems.
Analysts suggest Wang's remarks respond to recent U.S. tariff hikes affecting multiple sectors. The speech underscored China's push to position itself as a defender of developing economies, while business leaders watch for potential shifts in Asian supply chains and investment patterns.
