【Text/Observer Net, Xiong Chaoran】On the morning of July 6 local time, the 17th BRICS Leaders' Summit, lasting two days, officially opened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
According to reports from Hong Kong's South China Morning Post and Associated Press, in a joint statement released on the same day, BRICS countries expressed "serious concerns" about the U.S. raising tariffs without directly naming it, criticizing the unilateral tariffs and non-tariff measures initiated by the United States that distort trade, do not conform to World Trade Organization rules, and could reduce global trade, disrupt global supply chains, and bring uncertainty.
At the same time, the statement condemned recent bombing operations against Iran without directly mentioning the United States and Israel, stating that these attacks violated international law and were deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure. However, in this 31-page document, the behavior of Israel occupying Palestinian territory was directly criticized, and BRICS countries also urged Israel to immediately withdraw from Syrian territory (Golan Heights).
Although the final text was somewhat reserved, as the host of this summit, Brazilian President Lula was not hesitant in his remarks. In his opening speech, he warned that BRICS countries cannot stand idly by while Israel implements genocide in Gaza, indiscriminate killings of innocent civilians, and uses famine as a weapon of war. This left-wing leader also directed his criticism at Trump's long-standing stance that NATO members should increase defense spending.
A Brazilian diplomat familiar with BRICS negotiations said that this joint statement was issued shortly after the summit opened and is expected that more statements will be issued before the summit ends on July 7 local time, focusing on artificial intelligence, medical cooperation, and climate financing strategies.
"The vacuum left by other countries was almost immediately filled by BRICS," Reuters also quoted an anonymous Brazilian official. Despite the G7 still holding significant power, "it no longer holds its former dominant position."
Local time on July 6, 2025, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the venue of the 17th BRICS Summit, participants gathered. Visual China
Last November 30, before U.S. President Trump returned to the White House, he had already threatened on his own social media platform "Truth Social" that BRICS countries should abandon any plans to create new currencies or support alternatives to the dollar, otherwise impose 100% tariffs on any country challenging the dollar's dominant position in the global economy.
The South China Morning Post believes that this joint statement did not directly provoke Trump, who advocated the so-called "America First" policy, but by emphasizing principles such as "resolutely opposing unilateral protectionist measures," it demonstrated the coordinated stance of member states when negotiating trade with the United States.
On the evening of July 7 local time, Trump continued to monitor this BRICS summit and again issued a threat on "Truth Social": "Any country supporting BRICS 'anti-American policies' will be subjected to 10% tariffs. This policy will have no exceptions. Thank you for your attention to this issue!"
According to reports, on the issue of Iran, this joint statement echoed a joint statement issued by BRICS countries last month, which expressed "serious concerns" about the Israeli-Iranian conflict and emphasized the urgent need to break the cycle of violence and restore peace in the broader Middle East region.
This statement criticized previous attacks on Iran but did not mention the United States and Israel, the countries that carried out the attacks. "Nuclear safeguards, security, and safety must always be maintained, including during armed conflicts, to protect people and the environment from harm," the statement also called on the UN Security Council to intervene in the current situation.
Associated Press reported that before Iran was attacked in June, Iranian President Pezeshkian was originally scheduled to attend this BRICS summit, but he has now sent the Iranian Foreign Minister, Alaghchi, instead.
Alaghchi told the leaders that he had advocated for all UN member states to strongly condemn Israel, and added that Israel and the United States should be held responsible for human rights violations. The Iranian foreign minister warned that the consequences of the war "will not be limited to one country," and "the entire region and beyond will suffer destruction."
The joint statement of BRICS expressed "serious concerns" about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, calling for the release of all detained individuals, resuming negotiations, and reiterating their commitment to the "two-state solution." However, Alaghchi later issued a statement on the social media platform "Telegram," saying that the Iranian government had reservations about the "two-state solution," claiming it would not "work as it did before."
In the case of Ukraine, the joint statement did not mention Russia, only one reference to Ukraine: "We reaffirm our respective national positions on the Ukraine conflict at appropriate occasions such as the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly."
However, the South China Morning Post noted that this year's new content included an initiative to mediate the Ukraine conflict - particularly the "Friends of Peace" group on the Ukraine crisis led by China and Brazil. In September 2024, the "Friends of Peace" group on the Ukraine crisis was established at the United Nations. 17 countries from the "Global South", including Brazil, China, South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey, participated.
On the evening of July 7 local time, BRICS leaders also adopted a new declaration, calling on the United Nations to lead the development of global rules for artificial intelligence, emphasizing that this rapidly developing technology must not deepen the inequality between developed and developing countries. This document describes artificial intelligence as a "unique opportunity" to promote inclusive growth, innovation, and sustainability, but also warns that without fair governance, it may widen the "digital divide."
The BRICS cooperation mechanism began in 2006, consisting of China, Russia, India, Brazil, and South Africa. The combined land area of the member states accounts for 26.46% of the world's total land area, and their population accounts for 41.93% of the world's total population. In recent years, the international influence of BRICS has been continuously increasing. On January 1, 2024, with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Iran, and Ethiopia becoming formal members, the number of BRICS members increased from 5 to 10.
Local time on July 6, the 17th BRICS Leaders' Summit officially opened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Bloomberg
According to the South China Morning Post, Bruce Scheidl, a researcher from the BRICS Research Group at the University of São Paulo, stated that in the context of Trump's tariff wars causing instability, this BRICS summit is important for the participants. "In terms of seeking alternatives and diversifying economic partnerships, this summit provides the best response opportunity for emerging countries."
According to reports from RT and TASS, on the local time of July 6, Russian President Putin stated that the combined GDP of BRICS countries has exceeded the G7, which is dominated by Western countries.
On that day, the 17th BRICS Leaders' Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Putin delivered a speech via video conference. He said, "BRICS member countries not only account for one-third of the Earth's land area, but also nearly half of the global population, and their economies account for 40% of the global economy."
He added that according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) data for 2025, the combined GDP of BRICS countries calculated by purchasing power parity reached $77 trillion (about RMB 5.517 quadrillion), while the corresponding figure for G7 was $57 trillion (about RMB 4.084 quadrillion), "in this indicator, BRICS countries have significantly surpassed other groups including the G7".
Local time on July 6, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council delivered a speech at the first session of the 17th BRICS Leaders' Summit (on the topics of "Peace and Security, Global Governance Reform").
He pointed out that currently, the century-old changes in the world are accelerating, regional conflicts and trade frictions are rising, some regions are still in flames, and international rules and order are severely impacted, with the authority and effectiveness of multilateral mechanisms weakened. It is generally felt that reforming the global governance system has become increasingly necessary and urgent, and all parties are actively or passively participating in and promoting global governance transformation. China believes that in this process, we should firmly safeguard the common interests of the international community and always stand on the right side of history. Only in this way can we avoid taking detours and backtracking, and continue to walk on the path of peace, security, prosperity, and sustainable development.
In recent years, the Global South has been growing stronger, becoming a proactive promoter and contributor to the reform and improvement of the global governance system. As the "first line" of the Global South, BRICS countries should uphold independence and autonomy, demonstrate a sense of responsibility, and make greater efforts in consolidating consensus and gathering strength, striving to become a vanguard force in driving global governance transformation. China is willing to work with BRICS countries to promote the global governance system towards a more just, reasonable, efficient, and orderly direction, and build a better world together.
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