Led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, G7 leaders called on China not to engage in foreign interference. In a statement released on Saturday, they also underlined their intention to reduce their economic dependence on Beijing.
What there is to know
- Each year, the leaders of the G7 countries, which includes Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, France, Japan and Italy, meet to set common priorities and objectives. .
- The summit started on Friday and will end on Sunday.
- The allies have already announced a battery of new economic sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Meeting at their annual summit in Hiroshima, Japan, the G7 leaders on Saturday shared their goals on climate change, economic instability and nuclear weapons, and discussed the war in Ukraine, among others.
According to a Canadian government official, Justin Trudeau raised the issue of Chinese interference with his counterparts in the UK, France, Italy, Germany, the United States and Japan.
At his request, they called on China “not to carry out interference activities aimed at undermining the security and safety of [leurs] communities, to the integrity of [leurs] democratic institutions and [leur] economic prosperity”.
According to the former Canadian ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques, this is an important gesture of solidarity between the G7 countries, even if its influence on Beijing may be limited.
“It sends a message to China that its behavior is not acceptable,” he said.
PHOTO SUSAN WALSH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gathered for their annual summit in Hiroshima, Japan, G7 leaders issued a joint statement addressing the issue of foreign interference, at the request of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
However, this request is mainly intended to reassure the other leaders, believes Mr. Saint-Jacques: the government of Justin Trudeau has been hounded for months over allegations of Chinese interference in the federal elections of 2019 and 2021.
I suspect that Mr. Trudeau asked for the inclusion of this sentence to try to improve his government’s image with his partners, damaged by his inaction following the revelations of the last few months.
Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian Ambassador to China
“Normally, this should be followed by the announcement of additional measures to counter Chinese interference,” adds the specialist.
Unfair practices
This is far from the only warning issued to China. The G7 allies have indicated that they will oppose the economic coercion and unfair practices employed by Beijing, “which disrupt the global economy”.
PHOTO JONATHAN ERNST, ASSOCIATED PRESS
From left to right, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
“Our political approaches are not designed to harm China, nor do we seek to thwart China’s economic progress and development. A growing China that respects international rules would be of global interest. »
At the same time, they recognize that economic resilience involves “risk reduction and diversification”. “We will take action, individually and collectively, to invest in our own economic dynamism,” the document states.
Additionally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his counterparts have expressed serious concerns about the tensions between China and Taiwan.
“We reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which are essential for the security and prosperity of the international community,” they said.
On Saturday evening, Beijing expressed “its strong dissatisfaction and its firm opposition” to the reproaches made against it. “The G7 persists in manipulating China-related issues, discrediting and attacking China,” a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
” In the facts, [le G7] hinders world peace, harms regional stability and inhibits the development of other countries,” he charged.
Nuclear weapons
The issue of nuclear weapons also found itself at the top of the allies’ priorities.
They pledged to “strengthen disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, with a view to achieving the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons and unfailing security for all,” the statement said.
This summit is all the more symbolic as it takes place in the city of Hiroshima, decimated by an atomic bomb in 1945.
Moreover, the diplomatic meeting takes place in a context of increasing armed conflicts around the world, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the foreground. The leaders vowed to support Ukraine “as long as necessary in the face of Russia’s unlawful aggression” and called on Beijing to pressure Moscow to withdraw its troops.
Canada announced new investments to support people in developing countries.
The hundreds of millions of dollars announced by Ottawa will be used to fight climate change, food insecurity and inequalities affecting women.
Mr. Trudeau is expected to hold a press conference this Sunday, at the end of the summit.
With The Canadian Press