by Ada Zhang

UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- At a UN Security Council Arria-Formula meeting on Wednesday, representatives from more than 80 countries expressed their concerns over unilateralism, punitive tariffs and their potential impact on the international economic system.

The Global South voiced its united opposition to unilateral trade measures, stressing that developing countries will be disproportionately impacted by such measures.

The increasing use of unilateral trade measures, including tariffs, is a new form of "economic and political coercion," said Samuel Moncada, Venezuela's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), on behalf of 19 members of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations.

"We strongly caution that in the current context, tariffs will have a severe impact on both targeted nations and on the international trade system, particularly on the right to the development of countries from the Global South, while calling on all responsible members of the international community ahead of these," said Moncada.

Ernesto Soberon Guzman, Cuba's permanent representative to the United Nations, expressed firm opposition to unilateral coercive measures, commercial wars and punitive tariffs, saying that they "violate international law and the UN Charter and impact trade and the global economy."

"These measures are not just unfair, but they make it difficult to achieve Agenda 2030 and the right to development for our peoples. The commercial war could lead to a global recession and worsen the growing threats to the international order, and it will negatively impact primarily developing countries," said Guzman.

European countries echoed similar concerns, warning that the expanded use of tariffs could undermine the rules-based international trade system.

Ioannis Stamatekos, deputy permanent representative of Greece to the United Nations, emphasized the vital role that the multilateral trading system plays in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Stamatekos called for "a recommitment to the principles of transparency, accountability and reciprocity in global trade relations."

Troels Grabow Bay, political coordinator at Denmark's UN Mission, said the expanded use of tariffs has "significant negative effects on the global economy, raises prices for consumers, and disrupts international supply chains."

The Danish representative said that lowering barriers and fostering open markets would encourage innovation, reduce poverty, and provide consumers with more choices at lower prices.

"An open international trade system is not only an economic instrument or model, it is the embodiment of our shared commitment to multilateralism," he said.

Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, presided over Wednesday's meeting. He warned, "Unilateralism is on the rise, and bullying practices run rampant."

"They seriously impact the UN-centered international system, blatantly challenge the international order underpinned by international law, erode the foundation for sustainable development, and threaten world peace and stability," said Fu.

Wang Huiyao, president of the Center for China and Globalization, believes the high tariffs, economic sanctions, technological blockades and decoupling measures by the United States are severely squeezing the trade space of developing countries, and undermining global progress on poverty alleviation, education and healthcare.

Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, said the U.S. imposition of tariffs "violates multilateralism" and "violates the U.S. Constitution."

"There is no excuse for these unilateral tariffs," Sachs said. "They violate multilateralism, and in my view, they also violate the U.S. Constitution, which gives the power to impose tariffs to Congress, not the president." ■