South Africa is not anti-American, trade spokesman says after Trump tariff threat
JOHANNESBURG, July 7 (Reuters) – South Africa is not anti-American and still wants to negotiate a trade deal with the United States, a trade ministry spokesman said, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened an extra 10% tariff on countries aligned with the BRICS grouping.
Trump accused the BRICS group of developing nations, of which South Africa is a member, of “anti-American” policies on Sunday as BRICS leaders were holding a summit in Brazil.
South Africa has been trying to negotiate a trade deal with Trump’s administration since May, when Trump hosted President Cyril Ramaphosa for talks in the White House.
“We still await formal communication from the US in respect our trade deal but our conversations remain constructive and fruitful,” trade ministry spokesman Kaamil Alli told Reuters.
“As we have communicated previously, we are not anti-American,” Alli said.
(Reporting by Sfundo Parakozov; Editing by Alexander Winning)
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