In the current geopolitical landscape, China represents the most formidable threat to international security and prosperity, according to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. His statement came as a conclusion to the recent Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Hiroshima, Japan. Nonetheless, Sunak stressed that it’s not beneficial for the world’s leading economies to entirely sever ties with the Chinese behemoth.
“China is increasingly flexing its muscles, both internally and on the global stage, and this presents the paramount challenge of our era to worldwide safety and economic well-being,” said Sunak in a media briefing post-G7 gathering.
Despite the gravity of these challenges, Sunak underlined that the United Kingdom, along with the other members of the G7, do not strive for absolute disengagement from China. The aim is to collaboratively devise and implement strategies to mitigate the risks China poses.
“Our objective is to manage risk, not to completely disengage,” clarified Sunak. “As a united front, the G7 is actively working to thwart China’s efforts to employ economic leverage to manipulate the sovereign matters of other countries.”
These comments from Sunak come in the wake of his predecessor, Liz Truss, visiting Taiwan – the most prominent British politician to do so since the era of Margaret Thatcher in the 1990s. Contrasting Sunak’s stance, Truss advocated a tough line on China during her visit, cautioning against any “appeasement and accommodation” of the country.
This discord reflects the growing internal split within Sunak’s Conservative Party, with Truss representing a more hardline section that counters Sunak’s more moderate approach to China. Sunak aims for diplomatic engagement in areas like trade and climate change while keeping a watchful eye on potential national security threats.
Simultaneously, the issue of Taiwan remains a hotbed of tension. The self-governing island is claimed by Beijing as part of its territory, and China continues to assert this claim more strongly, not dismissing the potential use of force.
In another significant move, Sunak announced that the UK will start training Ukrainian pilots this summer in an effort to bolster its air force amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia. This announcement coincides with the G7’s commitment to providing long-term support to Ukraine.
President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was present alongside Sunak, stated, “Nobody desires peace more than I do, but it must be a peace established on Ukraine’s terms.”
The G7 – consisting of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom – met for a three-day summit in Hiroshima. The agenda encompassed a range of global issues, with the situations concerning China and Ukraine taking centre stage.
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