Topics Covered: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.
G7 seeks common front on China:
Context:
The Group of Seven wealthy democracies recently discussed how to form a common front towards an increasingly assertive China in the Foreign Ministers’ first in-person talks in two years.
- The recent meet also focused on the nuclear programmes of Iran and North Korea.
What’s the issue?
China’s growing military and economic clout and willingness to exert its influence at home and abroad have increasingly unnerved Western democracies.
Outcomes of the meet:
- US pledged “robust cooperation” with Britain in pressuring China over the Xinjiang region, where Beijing’s incarceration of one million Uighurs and other Muslims has been labelled genocide by Washington, and over a clampdown against civil rights in Hong Kong.
- Britain called for “holding Beijing to the commitments that they’ve made”, including on Hong Kong, which was promised a separate system before London handed over the colony in 1997.
- The countries also called for “finding constructive ways to work with China in a sensible and positive manner where that’s possible” — including on climate change.
What is G7?
- The G7, originally G8, was set up in 1975 as an informal forum bringing together the leaders of the world’s leading industrial nations.
- The summit gathers leaders from the European Union (EU) and the following countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- The major purpose of the G-7 is to discuss and deliberate on international economic issues. It sometimes acts in concert to help resolve other global problems, with a special focus on economic issues.
How did G7 become G8?
- Russia was formally inducted as a member in the group in 1998, which led G7 to become G8.
- However, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s condemnable act of moving Russian troops into eastern Ukraine and conquering Crimea in 2014 drew heavy criticism from the other G8 nations.
- The other nations of the group decided to suspend Russia from the G8 as a consequence of its actions and the group became G7 again in 2014.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- Groups: G7, G8, G10, G15, G20, G24 countries.
- Geographical location of member countries.
Mains Link:
Discuss the relevance of G7 countries today. What are the reforms necessary to make the grouping more effective?
Sources: the Hindu.
