South African analysts say the "short-sighted" tariff policies enacted by the United States undermine the global trading system and warn it is the American people who will end up paying the price for their government's actions. U.S. President Donald Trump has implemented sweeping tariffs on a wide range of countries since taking office, and earlier this month imposed a 10-percent "minimum baseline tariff" on all imports, before unveiling higher rates on certain trading partners. After triggering days of chaos on the global markets with this announcement, Trump then moved to suspend these higher rates for 90 days on all countries except China -- to whom he doubled down on -- with some Chinese exports now facing tariffs as high as 245 percent. In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Ayanda Hollow, president of the Pretoria-based TV BRICS Africa, was critical of Trump's approach and said countries around the world should stand up to the U.S. in maintaining their own economic freedom. "I think the international community needs to realize that the American administration wants to be the center of the universe. We have to retain the sovereignty of our economies, and not let America decide and judge our destinies," he said. Meanwhile, Gert Grobler, a veteran diplomat who was the former South African ambassador to Spain, Japan, and Madagascar, said that the U.S. actions go against the principles of free trade set out by the World Trade Organization. "There's a very, very real danger that through this approach by President Trump of basically protectionism, of nationalism, that in the end, the American people are going to pay the price. It is short-sighted, it is an unacceptable policy and it runs against everything that free trade and what the World Trade Organization stands for. I'm afraid that the Americans are probably going to pay a heavy price for these actions," he said. SHOTLIST: FILE: Pretoria, South Africa - Aug 2023 1. National flag of South Africa; FILE: Johannesburg, South Africa - February, 2025 2. Aerial shot of cityscape; Pretoria, South Africa - April 25, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ayanda Hollow, president, TV BRICS Africa (ending with shot 4): "I think the international community needs to realize that the American administration wants to be the center of the universe. We have to retain the sovereignty of our economies, and not let America decide and judge our destinies."; FILE: South Africa - Date Unknown 4. Various of port scenes; FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Oct 2024 5. Various of White House, U.S. national flag; Pretoria, South Africa - April 25, 2025 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Gert Grobler, former South African diplomat (partially overlaid with shot 7/ending with shots 8-9): "Well, there's a very, very real danger that through this approach by President Trump of basically protectionism, of nationalism, that in the end, the American people are going to pay the price. It is short-sighted, it is an unacceptable policy and it runs against everything that free trade and what the World Trade Organization stands for. I'm afraid that the Americans are probably going to pay a heavy price for these actions."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Cape Town, South Africa - Date Unknown 7. Various of workers in car manufacturing plant, auto parts, production line; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: : New York City, USA - Oct 2024 8. Port scene, Statue of Liberty; FILE: Los Angeles, California, USA - Date Unknown 9. Various of crane handling container at port; 10. Various of containers, trucks, vessel at port. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]