G7 seeks common front on China
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First in-person talks held in two years
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First in-person talks held in two years
The Group of Seven wealthy democracies on Tuesday discussed how to form a common front towards an increasingly assertive China in the Foreign Ministers’ first in-person talks in two years.
Backing U.S. President Joe Biden’s calls for a deeper alliance of democracies, host Britain invited guests, including India, South Korea and Australia, for talks in central London stretched out over three days.
After a welcome dinner on Monday focused on the nuclear programmes of Iran and North Korea, the Foreign Ministers opened formal talks at Lancaster House, a West End mansion, welcoming one another with Covid-friendly elbow-bumps and minimal staff.
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Updated
May 04, 2021
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Chris J. Ratcliffe/Pool Photo via AP
In this May 3, 2021, photo, Britain s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, right, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speak at a news conference at Downing Street in London. A flurry of diplomatic activity and reports of major progress suggest that indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran may be nearing a conclusion. That s despite efforts by U.S. officials to play down chances of an imminent deal that would bring Washington and Tehran back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Pool Photo via AP)
UPDATE 1-G7 mulls a message to China: the West ain t over just yet Reuters 5/4/2021 G7 discusses China in morning, Russia in afternoon West seeks broader alliance to counter China Blinken: We re not trying to hold China down Raab: we want broad alliance of democracies (Recasts with comments)
By William James and Guy Faulconbridge
LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) - The Group of Seven rich democracies will on Tuesday discuss ways of countering challenges from China and Russia without trying to contain Beijing or escalate tension with the Kremlin, two of its top diplomats said.
Founded in 1975 as a forum for the West’s richest nations to discuss crises such as the OPEC oil embargo, the G7 is debating responses to the two vast and increasingly assertive countries as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.
Social distancing could be scrapped from June 21 according to Boris Johnson. Picture: Canva/PA There is a good chance the one-metre plus rule for social distancing can be ditched next month, Boris Johnson said. The final decision on whether the change can be brought in from June 21 will depend on the data, the Prime Minister added. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, meanwhile, expressed certainty over a great British summer ahead as he confirmed that a total of 50 million Covid-19 jabs have been given out across the UK. It comes as the Government said one further person had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Monday, bringing the UK total to 127,539.