Japan: The G7 summit is set to take place from May 19-21 in the Japanese city of Hiroshima, where leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations will gather to discuss geopolitical, economic, and climate issues. The meeting comes at a time of rising tensions between China and the United States, and as the war in Ukraine drags on.

The G7 is an informal grouping of wealthy Western nations, which includes the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, along with representatives from the European Union. Other nations, such as Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam, have also been invited to the summit to bring attention to key topics.

The leaders will hold broad discussions on climate change, the health of the global economy, inflation, and global food security, as they assess the impact of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The G7 will want to show unity ahead of a likely Ukraine counter-offensive, underscoring the need for more weapons deliveries, political support, and financial assistance.

One of the key issues that the United States is pushing for is a stronger deterrence strategy towards China. The G7 summit will be the forum to define this, and from Washington’s perspective, to allay doubts among some allies on how to slow China’s technological advance, reduce the West’s economic and supply chain dependency on it, and counter Beijing’s belligerence towards Taiwan.

The G7 and other Western states are seeking to shore up alliances and reach out to the Global South, while defending their shrinking influence as China and Russia make economic inroads and push an alternative to the existing international order.

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