G7 affirms unity and need for close coordination on China

• The Group of Seven countries affirmed their unity and stressed the need for close coordination in dealing with China, the U.S. State Department said on 21 Jun after Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with G7 representatives in London.
• “The G7 noted the importance of close coordination on the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and reaffirmed that the G7 is more united than ever,” the State Department said in a statement.
• Blinken met representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union on the sidelines of a conference in London and briefed them on his meetings with leaders in China on a recent trip, the State Department said.
• Blinken’s G7 meeting came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “dictator.” China said that Biden’s remarks, made at a fundraiser, were absurd and a provocation.
• Blinken met Xi during his China trip, and they both agreed on 19 Jun to stabilize the U.S.-China rivalry so it did not veer into conflict. While the visit did not yield breakthroughs, both sides agreed to continue diplomatic engagement with more visits by U.S. officials in the coming weeks and months.

External Link : https://www.reuters.com/world/g7-affirms-unity-need-close-coordination-china-state-department-says-2023-06-21/