KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to an independent foreign and economic policy following a stark warning from United States President Donald Trump that countries seen aligning with Brics would face punitive trade measures.
In a statement, the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) said Malaysia’s participation in any multilateral platform is guided by national interest, with a focus on trade facilitation and sustainable development.
“Our engagement with any multilateral platform is focused on trade facilitation and sustainable development,” the ministry said.
“The United States (US) remains one of Malaysia’s key economic partners, not only through trade but also through the multi-billion-dollar American investments that have been established in Malaysia for more than 50 years.”
Earlier today, Trump posted on his Truth Social account:
“Any country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of Brics will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy.”
The declaration came as Brics member states convened in Rio de Janeiro, where the bloc jointly criticised Washington’s trade practices and called for a reformed global economic order.
In a joint communiqué, Brics finance ministers warned against protectionist policies, calling tariffs a destabilising force in global commerce and condemning the “proliferation of trade-restrictive actions” for injecting “uncertainty into international economic and trade activities.”
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the bloc expanded last year to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Singapore—broadening its footprint across the Global South and representing more than half the world’s population.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is attending the 17th Brics Leaders’ Summit at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
His visit to Brazil is the final leg of a week-long official tour that also included stops in Italy and France from July 1 to 7.
Amid concerns of rising global polarisation, Malaysia has sought to position itself as a non-aligned trading nation, open to cooperation with all major partners without being drawn into geopolitical blocs.
Trump, who has frequently targeted Brics in the past, warned earlier this year of 100% tariffs if the group went ahead with plans to introduce a common currency to rival the US dollar. His administration is now preparing to formalise new tariff rates beginning Monday, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirming that countries without trade deals with Washington could see new duties take effect by August 1.
“We are saying this is when it’s happening. If you want to speed things up, have at it. If you want to go back to the old rate, that’s your choice,” Bessent told CNN.
The latest warning follows a temporary 90-day suspension of the proposed tariffs in April, which is set to expire this Wednesday, raising alarms among global investors and trade partners.
Meanwhile, BRICS leaders also issued a statement criticising recent US and Israeli military operations targeting Iran since June 13, calling the attacks violations of international law.
While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attended in person, Chinese President Xi Jinping was absent—represented instead by Premier Li Qiang.
Russian President Vladimir Putin joined virtually due to an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Despite this backdrop, Beijing maintained that Brics is not anti-Western.
“China has repeatedly stated its position that trade and tariff wars have no winners and protectionism offers no way forward,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.
She stressed that BRICS remains committed to “openness, inclusivity and win-win cooperation,” rather than bloc-based confrontation. - July 7, 2025
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