BRICS offers hope for building freer, fairer world order: Serbian deputy PM

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BRICS offers hope for building freer, fairer world order: Serbian deputy PM

2024-10-26 16:14 Last Updated At：10-27 01:57

BRICS offers the hope for building a freer and fairer world order, not just empty talk, said Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin on Thursday in the Russian city of Kazan.

Vulin highlighted the cooperative mechanism's role in multilateralism in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit, a three-day gathering that saw the participation of the world's major emerging economies and multiple Global South countries.

He said BRICS offers a chance of peace, development and a fairer world, stressing China and Russia's determination in championing the mechanism.

"BRICS is hope. We see how determined Russia [is], how determined China [is] for the creation of a new world, a free world, a fair world without arrogance of great power, when China, which is one of the most important countries in the world, speaks so calmly and gives us courage that all these hard times will pass. China offers to the entire world, peace, offers development, offers fair trade, offers the reconstruction of the international order. And President Xi Jinping offers that hope and offers very constructive suggestions," he said.

Serbia has expressed interest in becoming a part of BRICS, which initially comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, but saw its membership almost double in January this year with several new countries joining.

Vulin dismissed the rhetoric that BRICS is just a "talking club" that its expansion would only make it impossible to reach any real consensus. He cited the growing role of the New Development Bank, the multilateral bank jointly established by the BRICS states a decade ago, in financing numerous projects in developing countries around the world, including Serbia, and helping boost their economies.

"BRICS is not [just] a talking club. When you have a New Development Bank with that kind of capital, it's not just talking. It's something that can be a real alternative to the International Monetary Fund. In that kind of political climate, there is space for Serbia and space for the Serbian economy -- new railroads, new Chinese investments in Serbia, in Serbian mining companies, in Serbian industries. That's really important for us. No one from BRICS asks us nothing, just offer us, and we are very grateful for that chance," said the minister.

Trump threatens tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order threatening to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba.

"Beginning on the effective date of this order, an additional ad valorem rate of duty may be imposed on goods imported into the United States that are products of any other country that directly or indirectly sells or otherwise provides any oil to Cuba," said the order, which was signed under a national emergency declaration.

The order, effective at 12:01 a.m. ET (0501 GMT) on Jan. 30, defines "oil" as crude oil or petroleum products. It authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to determine whether a foreign country sells or provides oil to Cuba, and to issue necessary regulations to enforce the order.

The Secretary of State is tasked with deciding whether, and to what extent, an additional duty should be imposed, based on the Secretary of Commerce's findings. Trump will then consider the recommendation in deciding whether to impose the tariff.

Trump claims that Cuba's policies, practices and actions represent an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy.