Johannesburg – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday condemned US President Donald Trump’s threat of higher tariffs on BRICS nations, saying efforts to “punish” the bloc were disappointing.
Trump accused the 11-nation grouping – which also includes Brazil, Russia, India and China – of “anti-Americanism” and vowed to impose an extra 10 percent tariff on them after they slammed his levies at a summit in Rio De Janeiro.
“BRICS does not seek to compete with any other power,” Ramaphosa told South African public broadcaster SABC.
The bloc advocates for “the emergence of various centres of power in the world”, Ramaphosa said, adding it was “disappointing” that some “see it in negative light and want to punish those who participate in this”.
“There should never be vengeance. There should never be retribution against countries that are seeking to cooperate together and to advance the interests of humanity,” he said.
The grouping, conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, drew Trump’s ire on Sunday after voicing “serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff” measures in a summit joint statement.
Trump also announced he would send on Monday a first batch of letters announcing high tariffs on up to 15 countries that had failed to reach trade agreements with the United States.
“It cannot be that might should now be right,” Ramaphosa said.
