In view of growing competition from authoritarian states such as Russia and China, the G7 heads of state and government are moving closer together. At their three-day summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on Saturday, they set out to reduce their economies’ dependency, promote new technologies and ward off political pressure. In addition, Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Hiroshima and is expected to participate in negotiations on Sunday.
The seven major Western industrialized countries also set new targets for climate protection and called for regulation of artificial intelligence, as shown in the summit’s declaration. Ukraine is also promised continued support in the defensive struggle against Russia’s war of aggression. New sanctions against Russia were announced on Friday.
bad experiences
On Saturday, the focus was on consultations with host countries such as India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil. It was also about a new course for the G7 in dealing with China. According to the participants, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the G7 countries have more to offer emerging and developing countries than China and Russia. “A lot of countries in the Global South had bad experiences with China. They took Chinese loans and got into a debt crisis,” she said. “All Russia has to offer these countries are weapons and mercenaries.”
According to the decision, the most important Western industrialized countries want to follow a two-part path towards China: in addition to the commitment to cooperation, the summit’s 40-page declaration contains clear warnings about the situation of human rights, unfair competition and tensions over Taiwan.
Availability for a “constructive and stable relationship” is expressly emphasized. “We act in our national interest,” she says. “Given its role in the international community and the size of its economy, there is a need to cooperate with China,” the G7 stressed. Climate and health protection and stabilizing the global economy are mentioned as areas of cooperation. “Our policy approach is not to harm China. We do not want to impede China’s progress and economic development,” it is expressly emphasized.
“Economic Resilience”
In the weeks leading up to the summit, there were discussions because the US wanted to use tougher language against China. No decoupling is planned, it is now emphasized – but at the same time, the G7 points out that they are not gullible. “We recognize that economic resilience requires risk reduction and diversification.” Above all, the objective is to reduce China’s excessive dependence on important production chains, with regard to raw materials, for example. During the deliberations, an excerpt that provided for a review of investments was undone. Now it just says, “We also recognize the need to protect certain advanced technologies that may threaten our national security without unduly restricting trade and investment.”
However, the draft also contains warning messages for the leadership in Beijing: they insist on a level playing field in economic cooperation and will fight illegal technology transfer. “We will strengthen the power of resistance to economic coercion,” he said in relation to the accusation that China is also exerting political pressure on economic dependencies. In a further statement, it is emphasized that it is a concern that individual states are using economic dependencies for political leverage.
Worried about tensions in Asia
At the same time, G7 countries expressed concern about regional tensions in East and Southeast Asia. Nothing has changed in the G7 position that there can only be a peaceful solution between China and Taiwan, which the leadership in Beijing sees as a breakaway province. The statement also raised concerns about the human rights situation in Tibet and the Xinjiang region and insisted on freedoms and autonomy for the former British crown colony and now Hong Kong SAR. China is also urged to persuade Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The People’s Republic is “encouraged” to support comprehensive peace initiatives that respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy wants first to seek more help from the G7 countries and then also from host countries like India, which until now have been neutral in the war with Russia. In recent days, he had already visited several European capitals and then the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia. From there, Zelenskyy flew to Hiroshima on a French government plane. The first bilateral talks were already scheduled for Saturday, having met with the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, among others. A bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden was also planned.
Originally, Zelenskyy was supposed to be connected to the G7 summit on Sunday via video. He traveled to Hiroshima after the US first expressed its openness to supply western F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine on Friday.
It is the first time Zelenskyy has traveled to Japan since the Russian attack began on February 24 last year. The G7 group includes the US, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and Canada, as well as the European Union. Zelenskyy recently toured the European G7 countries and requested further support during visits to Rome, Berlin, Paris and London. (apa, dpa, Portal)