G7 looking to 'de-risk and diversify' ties with China: US Prez Biden

HIROSHIMA: US President Joe Biden on Sunday said the Group of Seven (G7) nations agreed in their approach to China and are looking to "de-risk and diversify" their ties with China so that they do not depend on one country for necessary products.

While addressing a press conference in Hiroshima, Biden said, "We are also united in our approach to People's Republic of China.

A joint statement released yesterday outlines the shared principles we have all agreed at the G7 and beyond dealing with China," Biden said.

"We're not looking to decouple from China. We're looking to de-risk and diversify our relationship with China that means taking steps to diversify our supply chains so we are not dependent on any one country for necessary products. It means resisting economic coercion together and countering harmful practices that hurt our workers. It means protecting that narrow set of advanced technologies critical for our national security. Those elements were all agreed by the G7," he added.

Responding to the question regarding ties between China and US as the military hotline is not working between the two nations, Joe Biden said, "You are right. We should have an open hotline. At the Bali conference, President Xi and I agreed we are gonna do and meet on and then the silly balloon that was carried ....... spying equipment was flying over the United States. It got shot down and everything changed in terms of talking to one another. I think you're going to see that begin to thaw very shortly."

Biden said that G7 reaffirmed "our shared and unwavering commitment to stand with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia's war of aggression."

Biden said that he has received a "flat assurance" from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that F-16 fighter jets will not be used to target Russian territories.

Biden said that they had a packed few days in Hiroshima.

He said that he held Quad meetings and bilateral meetings with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, Australian PM Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Biden is currently in Japan to attend the G7 Summit.

"We have had a packed few days here in Hiroshima and I think we had important and productive meetings at the G7 Summit. We also held a Quad meeting here in Hiroshima rather than Australia and important bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan, Prime Minister Albanese of Australia, President Zelenskyy of Ukraine as well as the Prime Minister of India," Biden said.

Speaking about the budget negotiations in the US, Biden said that before his trip to Japan, he met all four congressional leaders and all of them agreed that the only way forward was a bipartisan agreement. Biden said that he is scheduled to talk with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy on his way back.

"Now it's time for the other side to move from their extreme positions, because much of what they have already proposed is simply, quite frankly, unacceptable," Biden said. Biden stressed that all four congressional leaders agreed that "default is not an option."

He said, "It is time for Republicans to accept that there is no bipartisan deal to be made solely on their partisan terms. They have to move as well. All four congressional leaders agree with me that default is not an option. And I expect each of these leaders to live up to that commitment."