HIROSHIMA, Japan (May 20) (Reuters) – The White House said Saturday that G7 leaders will outline measures to help contain Chinese risks while preserving economic ties, underscoring the balance that wealthy democracies face. with Beijing.
US President Joe Biden and other G7 leaders gathered in the Japanese city of Hiroshima for a three-day summit focused heavily on relations with Beijing and the urgent need to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to travel to Hiroshima on Saturday, as he seeks to drum up support for his country’s efforts to counter the Russian invasion.
Officials say the G7, made up of the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada, is increasingly focused on managing what they see as significant security risks with China while maintaining important trade relations.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters during a briefing in Hiroshima that the G7 leaders plan to outline measures to protect sensitive technology, including measures for foreign investment, in their statement.
He said the group’s members are looking to “reduce risks, not separate” from China.
Sullivan said the leaders will outline a common set of tools to combat economic coercion, including measures to build more resilient supply chains and efforts to protect sensitive technologies through export controls and foreign investment measures.
In a draft closing statement, seen by Reuters, the G7 leaders agreed that China’s status as the world’s second-largest economy means they must continue to cooperate.
“We do not seek to thwart China’s economic progress and development,” the leaders said in the draft, which is still subject to change.
Zelensky is expected to hold bilateral meetings with G7 summit participants, including the host, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
A report from the Reuters G7 team in Hiroshima. Written by David Dolan. Editing by Nick McPhee
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