G7 Leaves Rising Powers Frustrated

Policy Alert #193 | September 6, 2019

Heads of state from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States convened in Biarritz, France, for the annual  Group of Seven (G7) summit August 24-26, 2019. Following last year’s tumultuous summit in Canada, in which US President Donald Trump refused to sign the summit’s joint communique, French President Emmanuel Macron appeared determined to restore order to the G7. In lieu of the traditional communique, a one-page Leaders’ Declaration briefly outlined the members’ shared positions on the state of global trade, crumbling relations with Iran over its nuclear program, ongoing tension between Russia and the Ukraine, conflict in Libya, and protests in Hong Kong. To these ends, Macron met with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the G7 Summit and invited Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Biarritz in a failed attempt to facilitate talks with the US. Nevertheless, the summit wrestled with sideline drama that included President Trump’s off-the-cuff suggestion that Russia rejoin the group, as well as his grandstanding on US-China trade negotiations, and a tense exchange with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro over raging wildfires in the Amazon. In this RPI Policy Alert, we review the Rising Powers’ reactions to the 2019 G7 Summit.

 

CHINA
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang faced numerous queries in his regular press conferences regarding claims by President Trump that “China called, last night, our top trade people, and said, ‘Let’s get back to the table.’ So, we’ll be getting back to the table.  And I think they want to do something,” and his suggestion that Chinese Vice Premier Liu Hua was party to this direct communication with the US. Spokesperson Geng denied being aware of any high-level dialogues. In response to the G7’s statement regarding the ongoing protests in Hong Kong, Geng said: “We deplore and firmly oppose such wanton comment in the G7 joint statement. As we’ve emphasized time and again, Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs. No foreign governments, organizations or individuals have any right to interfere.” He further explained that China believes that the “ultimate purpose” of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration was to “to affirm China’s recovering of Hong Kong and resumption of exercise of sovereignty over it.” Regarding the efforts to improve ties with Iran, Geng noted that Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi shortly after his stop in France, and that “China understands Iran’s legitimate demands and believes that its continued fulfillment of the deal should be properly rewarded. China is committed to continue working with relevant parties to uphold and implement the JCPOA to facilitate the political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue and play a constructive role in reducing tensions in the Gulf region.”

 

RUSSIA
In response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion that “the resolution of this conflict [with the Ukraine]” is a magic wand that will open the door for Russia to return to the G7 club, and the G7 can turn into the G8,” Russian President Vladimir Putin quipped, “As for the G8, which you mentioned, it does not exist. How can I return to an organisation that does not exist? It is called the G7 today. Regarding a possible eight-country format, we do not reject anything. It was Russia’s turn to host a G8 summit, but our partners did not come. We look forward to seeing our partners anytime, but within the G7 framework.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov conveyed Russia’s disinterest to do so as well: “We are working actively and productively within the framework of other formats, such as BRICS, the SCO, the integration associations created in the post-Soviet space and the G20, not to mention the UN. Never during that time have we raised the idea of relaunching the G8 in our contacts with anyone.”

 

 

JAPAN
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the G7 Summit and kept busy forging bilateral ties with G7 members and observer states such as Australia and Chile. Prime Minister Abe offered an optimistic update on trade negotiations with US President Donald Trump: “[W]e successfully reached consensus with regard to the core elements of both the agricultural and industrial products of our bilateral consultations.” Abe also expressed his interest to “set the goal of signing this Japan-US trade agreement” at an upcoming bilateral summit meeting planned on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly later this month. 

 

INDIA
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings with G7 members as part of a diplomatic trip to France. In a press conference with US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Modi dodged Trump’s suggestion that he would like to help mediate between India and Pakistan over ongoing tension in the disputed Kashmir region: “India and Pakistan have — all the issues are of bilateral nature.  And we do not want to give pains to any country in the world — to, in fact, try to do anything in this, because these issues are bilateral.  And I trust that before 1947, when we were one country, that even afterwards we can find solutions through discussions.

 

RPI acknowledges support from the MacArthur Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York for its activities.