The President of China Calls on BRICS Countries to Confront "All Forms of Protectionism"

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for "supporting the multilateral trading system and its core, the World Trade Organization, and confronting all forms of protectionism."

This came during a speech he delivered at an exceptional virtual summit of BRICS leaders on Monday, September 8, where they discussed recent U.S. trade policies and sought to form a unified stance against the trade pressures imposed by Washington.

The Chinese president added: "No matter how the international situation changes, we must remain steadfast in supporting the building of an open global economy, sharing opportunities, and achieving results that benefit everyone through openness."

The summit, which was held at Brazil's request, was closed to the media, and no joint final statement was issued, according to the announced arrangements. Sources indicated that discussions lasted nearly two hours, and the parties may agree on a mechanism to later announce the content of the agreements reached.

On the other hand, Brazilian sources confirmed that the main goal of the summit was to formulate a joint response to the threats issued by the United States to the member countries of the group, which includes China, Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.