A major theme of the recent G7 meeting of foreign ministers in Japan was how member nations can combine their political and economic muscle “to support countries on every continent in meeting their food, energy, climate, infrastructure, and technology challenges,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken:
“It means shaping a more inclusive international system – including with UN reform, making the international financial system more responsive to the actual needs of countries, and finding new formats for consultation that welcome more voices. It means offering more countries better, more sustainable, and more equitable ways to prosper, while respecting their sovereignty. From Central Asia to the Pacific Islands to Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, our goal is to offer leaders and citizens better choices – free from coercion, unsustainable debt, and malign influence.”
G7 nations also discussed the challenges to a free, open, secure, and prosperous international system, most notably Russia’s war against Ukraine, noted Secretary Blinken:
“We recommitted to Ukraine: with the security and economic support that it needs today to defend its sovereignty and people, and for the long term to ensure that Ukraine doesn’t just survive, that it thrives – and that Russia is deterred from further aggression.”
With regard to China, the G7 nations “are resolved and united in the need for candid discussions with Beijing about its unfair trade practices, its actions that undermine the international rules that all nations benefit from, and the risks if it breaks its word and starts arming Russia,” warned Secretary Blinken. “And, of course, we’re united in making clear to Beijing our opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo with Taiwan.”
Discussions also focused on the dangers of nuclear proliferation. Secretary Blinken expressed gratitude to Japan for the high priority that it has placed on countering nuclear threats:
“Including from the DPRK’s dangerous ballistic missile launches; Iran’s expansion of its nuclear activities, including the operation of advanced centrifuges and the accumulation of highly enriched uranium, for which it has no credible civilian explanation or purpose; Russia’s New START suspension and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric; and the PRC’s opaque and rapid build-up of its own nuclear arsenal.”
G7 foreign ministers committed to promoting open, transparent, resilient, and sustainable societies that champion human rights, justice, and dignity, and address the needs of the most vulnerable.
