The G7 leaders engaged in an unexpected moment of camaraderie as they kicked off talks in southern Italy, with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. This light-hearted gesture preceded a day of serious talks on global challenges.
The atmosphere turned somewhat awkward as the leaders, including President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, struggled to find harmony in their singing. The summit of developed economies of the world, initially dominated by discussions on Ukraine, shifted focus to China’s role in international affairs.
Joe Biden Starts Birthday Serenade Tradition for Olaf Scholz G7 Summit Day 2 Recap| Amaravati Today#JoeBiden #OlafScholz #HappyBirthday #G7Summit #BidenFamilyTradition #Leadership #InternationalRelations #GlobalDiplomacy #ItalySummit #June14 #SpecialDay #BirthdayWishes… pic.twitter.com/JhU6eo3G8H— Amaravati Today (@amaravati_today) June 14, 2024
Leaders addressed a spectrum of issues from security in the Asia-Pacific to fair trade practices, particularly concerning China’s alleged support for Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The G7 nations, including Japan and the United States, underlined their unity in confronting China on multiple fronts, including economic policies that impact global markets.
Tensions surfaced during the summit as France and the US slammed Italy’s handling of sensitive issues, notably attempts to dilute references to abortion rights in the final summit statement, according to several British newspapers. Meanwhile, economic issues took center stage with the European Union’s announcement of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, prompting accusations of protectionism from Beijing. Security concerns, particularly China’s military activities in the Asia-Pacific region, were also addressed.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took centre stage as he highlighted the recently-held Lok Sabha elections in his address at an outreach session of the G7 summit and said the “blessings” that the people of India have given in the form of a historic win in the polls is a “victory of democracy”. In an address, PM Modi said the world community must work towards converting the monopoly in technology into mass usage to lay the foundation of an inclusive society and help eliminate social inequalities. He also said India will work with all countries to make Artificial Intelligence transparent, fair, secure, accessible and responsible.
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