The leaders of the Group of Seven (G-7) met in Cornwall, United Kingdom, on 11-13th June, 2021.[1] The agenda of the meeting was to discuss several major issues including the global economic recovery from COVID-19, to promote future prosperity by promoting free and fair trade, tackling climate change and preserving the planet’s biodiversity.[2] Above all, the summit was aimed at brainstorming trans-Atlantic response to deal with China challenge.[3] The gathering turned out to be more about containing China than other issues on the agenda.
The joint statement released at the end of leaders’ summit underscored the importance of maintaining security and stability across the strait of Taiwan and South China Sea as both the regions are considered highly militarized zones. The group called upon China to respect rights and freedoms of people of Hong Kong. President Biden demanded that China provide access to independent international inquiry commission to the laboratories in Wuhan with the aim of investigating the origin and real causes behind the emergence and spread of coronavirus. They also critsicised China for its violation of human rights in Xinjiang, home to the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.[4] Meanwhile, the US wants the group of industrialized nations to offer multi-billion-dollars in loan and grants to the developing nations to challenging China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, the Biden administration has yet to share substantive information about its proposed new Build Back Better World (B3W) program to rival BRI about their new development program parallel to BRI.[5]
