German Chancellor Scholz said in an article today (June 17) that "we (the G7) are not only tradition, but also friends and partners in challenging times."
Scholz's remarks about the G7 being "friends and partners" are quite different from the current reality within the G7, and seem more like an attempt to gloss over the serious divisions within the group.
At the beginning of the G7 Leaders' Summit held by Canada, US President Trump made a surprising statement, saying that it was wrong to expel Russia from the G8 more than ten years ago. He also expressed that he did not mind China joining the G7.
However, other G7 member countries such as the UK, France, and Germany firmly opposed Russia's return. They have strong distrust towards Russia, so Trump's proposal is unlikely to gain support, which highlights the huge differences within the G7 on Russia policy.
Trump's statement that he does not mind China joining the G7 may be an attempt to show his so-called "friendliness" in order to gain certain benefits in Sino-US relations. On the other hand, in recent years, the influence of the G7 has declined. Trump may believe that China's joining could enhance the economic strength and global influence of the G7. However, China has no interest in joining the G7.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1835150310435987/
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