On April 28, 2025 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi clarified China's position on upholding multilateralism and safeguarding multilateral trading rules on the sidelines of the Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Rio de Janeiro.

Wang Yi said multilateralism is the cornerstone of the post-World War II international order, and that unity and cooperation represent the greatest common denominator for the international community. However, certain country's perception of the world has undergone serious deviations. The United States goes all out to seek unilateralism and supremacy, and puts its own interests over the international public good. The existing international system has supported global stability and prosperity, yet the United States, as the largest beneficiary of the system, is now moving toward the opposite direction. People are witnessing that the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is blatantly taking the stage, coercion and bullying no longer need to be disguised, and the foundation for the development of international relations is under continuous threat.

Wang Yi emphasized that safeguarding multilateral trade rules is the most pressing issue at present. The essence of trade is to complement each other's advantages and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, not a calculation of who loses and who gains, nor should it become a tool for pursuing individual selfish interests. The United States has long benefited greatly from free trade, but now it is using tariffs as a bargaining chip to demand exorbitant prices from various countries. Choosing to remain silent, compromise or flinch will only invite more bullying. BRICS countries should jointly oppose all forms of protectionism, firmly safeguard the WTO-centered, rules-based multilateral trading system, uphold its core values and fundamental principles, and promote trade liberalization and facilitation.