2023-05-18 17:02:28
How to get along with China? Is it possible to force it to accept common rules of the game? Or should we organize our savings to do without it? These are the questions that will dominate the summit of the heads of state of the G7 (United States, Japan, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada), scheduled from this Friday, May 19, for three days, at Hiroshima, Japan.
The stiffening of the Chinese regime indeed gives the impression that a confrontation is inevitable. The United States and Britain are on a hard line, pushing for a “economic decoupling”which is to end trade between the developed world and China.
European countries are on a more moderate line. They simply want to reduce our dependence on our Chinese suppliers. It is a policy that is designated by the term “de-risking”.
Cooperate with China
This choice between “decoupling” and “de-risking” is at the center of the preparatory discussions. “For us, this summit is not an anti-Chinese G7”pleads the Elysée. “China is an important partner, but it is a partner that is expected to comply with a number of norms and standards. » Above all, Paris is looking for ways to encourage China to engage in several forms of cooperation that will force it to accept common rules of the game.
China hardliners are putting various proposals on the table. One would be to create a “commodities club” to jointly manage rare earth and critical metal resources, so as to prevent China from appropriating these resources and using them as a tool of economic pressure. Japan, host of the summit and which exercises the annual presidency of the G7 is sensitive to this theme. He remembers, in fact, having been deprived of access to Chinese rare earths after 2010, at the time of a diplomatic crisis between Beijing and Tokyo.
Towards new sanctions against Russia?
The Chinese question will therefore largely dominate the debates of the club of heads of state of the G7. But they will also talk about Ukraine and Russia. They will consult on possible additional sanctions to force the Kremlin to end its war. But they should above all seek ways of rallying the countries which refuse to choose between the aggressor country and the attacked country.
The leaders of India, Brazil and Indonesia are among the invited participants in some sessions of the summit. The leaders of the G7 will try to convince them to become more involved in a settlement of the conflict, and to crack down with them against those who participate in circumventing the sanctions.
Finally, while the summit takes place in Hiroshima, it should begin with a ceremony in Peace Park, followed by the planting of a cherry tree and the traditional family photo. The G7 summit should also launch a call for nuclear disarmament, particularly welcome in this period when a member country of the Security Council, Russia, continues to threaten to use its bomb against the developed countries which support Ukraine.
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