ITALY: The G7 leaders ended their summit with their starkest warning yet to China, declaring that Beijing’s support of Moscow’s military industrial base is “enabling Russia to maintain its illegal war in Ukraine.”
Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies said they are “committed to raising the costs of Russia’s war,” threatening more sanctions against actors who aid Moscow to circumvent them.
The warning is part of the communique, or joint statement, released by leaders as they wrapped up their second summit day in Apulia, Italy.
It contained the toughest language yet toward Beijing, reflecting frustration on the part of U.S. President Joe Biden on China’s role in propping up the Russian war machine in Ukraine.
Beijing is supplying the technology to produce weapons for Russia, Biden said Thursday evening during a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “So, it is, in fact, helping Russia,” he said.
G7 leaders highlighted security threats they say China poses to the global economy — including its overcapacity in electric vehicles and its trade and investment practices in developing nations.
The European Union on Wednesday announced higher tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese electric vehicle imports amid investigations into whether Chinese automakers are dumping government-subsidized, less expensive EVs onto European markets.
(VOA)
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