Beijing hits back at US for saying it will raise 'China challenge' at upcoming G7 meet

China has voiced opposition to the United States saying it will raise the “China challenge” during the virtual meet of the Group of Seven industrialised nations scheduled for February 19. As per the South China Morning Post report, Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said that it rejects ‘group politics’ and ‘exclusive cliques’ after the White House said in a statement that “the importance of updating global rules to tackle economic challenges, such as those posed by China” would be on the table of discussions along with a global response to COVID-19 pandemic and world economic survey. Reportedly when Beijing was asked about G7 meet’s agenda, it said that it opposed ‘ideological confrontation’.

“We oppose group politics based on ideological divides, forming exclusive cliques, and imposing the will of a minority group of countries over international society,” China’s foreign ministry reportedly said on Tuesday.

“Behaviours like these will not gain popularity among the international community, nor will they benefit the countries themselves, and will only push the world towards divide and even confrontation,” it added.

Chinese Foreign Ministry also said that all international meetings should be conducive to multilateralism and that global affairs should be collectively managed by different countries. Beijing’s remarks indicate the continuation of strenuous US-China relations. The Friday’s G7 meeting would also be US President Joe Biden’s first since taking the office on January 20. The Group of Seven had last met in April 2020. 

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Biden at G7 meeting

US President Joe Biden will participate in his first event with the other members of the Group of Seven nations (G7) in a virtual ceremony on February 19 to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, the world economy and dealing with China, the White House said in a statement on February 14. These meetings will also be the first by the top leaders from the G7 group of rich democracies since April, it said. The White House said in a statement, "This virtual engagement with leaders of the world's leading democratic market economies will provide an opportunity for President Biden to discuss plans to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, and rebuild the global economy".

The White House also said that US President would be focussing his remarks on the international response to COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution along with "continued efforts to mobilize and cooperate against the threat of emerging infectious diseases by building country capacity and establishing health security financing"

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