Scott Morrison says China needs to be part of ‘new global architecture’ following G7

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on China to be a part of a new deal around economic development following the G7 meeting.

• Morrison meets with UK PM
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Scott Morrison says China needs to be a part of the solution on economic development and doesn’t believe it needs to result in conflict.

Speaking to The Australian following the end of the G7 meeting in France, Mr Morrison said he supported US President Donald Trump’s call for a “new deal” with China.

US President Donald Trump and Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison leave together after a meeting during the G7 Summit in the town of Biarritz, France. Picture: AAP

“China needs to become part of the new global architecture and that’s what we are wrestling with,” Mr Morrison said. “Name a time in history where economic developments haven’t led to strategic tensions. That’s always why strategic tensions have emerged.”

“From when (Richard) Nixon first went (to China) … the point was China would not remain poor; that it would become a success … And it has. And we should be pleased about it.

“But the ‘what next’ when they become a success is what we are now confronted with,” he said.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a Bilateral Meeting during the G7 Summit in the town of Biarritz, France. Picture: AAP

Mr Morrison does not believe China can still claim to be a developing nation because it is giving it an unfair advantage in terms of global trade.

“(The tensions between the US and China are) a natural consequence of events … And then you have to overlay that with the digital technology revolution which has hyper-charged this. It manifests itself most significantly in the trade relationship with US and China,” he said.

“It means now we have to look at the challenges, not as a failure of the system or some sort of malevolent undercurrent … We now need a gear change to modify the system.”

US President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to talks. Picture: AP

The US and China have agreed to resume talks on easing the trade war following an escalation last week that resulted in retaliatory tariff hikes.

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Originally published as Scott Morrison says China needs to be part of ‘new global architecture’ following G7