WASHINGTON (AP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping says the world faces "a choice between cooperation and confrontation" in remarks that criticized escalating U.S. tariffs on goods from China and other major trading partners.

At the annual summit of the BRICS emerging economies, held this year in Johannesburg, Xi said those who pursue "economic hegemony" will "only end up hurting themselves." "The current international order is not perfect," the Chinese president said.

But, Xi said, it should not be discarded "as long as it is rule-based, aims to be equitable and pursues win-win outcomes as its goals." He said "unilateralism and protectionism are mounting," which he said hurts world trade.