Marise Payne caught up in COVID-19 scare at G7, summit takes aim at China

An Aussie politician has been caught up in a COVID-19 scare at an international summit in London, where diplomats took aim at China.

A COVID-19 scare has rocked G7 talks in London. Picture: Denis Charlet / AFP

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has been caught up in a COVID-19 scare after two positive cases forced an Indian delegation into self-isolation during an international summit in London.

Ms Payne led an Australian delegation invited as a guest, alongside India, to G7 talks in London, where international leaders took aim at China over human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

But Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday revealed he had been exposed to possible COVID-19 cases and would not meet with fellow leaders in person.

“As a measure of abundant caution and also out of consideration for others, I decided to conduct my engagements in the virtual mode. That will be the case with the G7 Meeting today as well,” he tweeted.

Mr Jaishankar instead met with Ms Payne via videolink, saying the pair agreed to “further strengthen our many convergences” in the Indo-Pacific.

RELATED: Australia limits arrivals from India over escalating COVID-19 outbreak

Marise Payne has been caught up in a COVID-19 scare at the G7 in London. Picture: Hannah McKay / Getty Images

The Indian delegation was forced to attend the talks via videolink after two positive cases. Picture: Nicklas Hallen / AFP

The summit had been touted as a major resumption of in-person diplomacy more than a year since the pandemic began.

But as India grapples the world’s worst COVID-19 outbreak, including more than 400,000 cases on Friday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced to deny claims hosting the talks was premature.

“It’s very important to try to continue as much business as you as you can as a government,” he said.

“We have a very important relationship with India, with our G7 partners. As I understand it, what’s happened is that the individuals concerned are all, they’re all isolating now.”

Mr Johnson confirmed he would meet with India’s delegation via Zoom.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said measures, including daily testing of diplomats, had been imposed to ensure the summit was safe to proceed.

“Immediately (when) we saw those tests, they were in twice into self-isolation,” he said.

“(The measures) are working very effectively to isolate any conceivable potential risk in this case.”

Ms Payne was present as in-person talks went ahead without the Indian delegation, with diplomats separated by glass panels.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson denies hosting the talks in-person was premature. Picture: Hannah McKay / AFP

The G7 also took aim at China over abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet. Picture: Nicolas Asfouri / AFP

The Group of Seven took aim at China over crackdowns on pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong and Tibet and human rights abuses of the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang.

“We continue to be deeply concerned about human rights violations and abuses in Xinjiang … especially the targeting of Uyghurs,” it said in a statement released shortly after the talks

“We strongly support independent and unfettered access to Xinjiang to investigate the situation on the ground.”

Beijing and Canberra have been locked in an escalating trade stoush for more than a year, seemingly prompted by Australia’s call for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 last April.

China has slapped a range of sanctions on Australian products, but the G7 pledged to resist Beijing’s “coercive” behaviour.

“We will work collectively to foster global economic resilience in the face of arbitrary, coercive economic policies and practices,” it said.

“We urge China to assume and fulfil obligations and responsibilities commensurate with its global economic role.”

The summit also focused on security in the Indo-Pacific, a fraught topic as China takes an increasingly assertive stance in the region.

The UK last week dispatched a massive naval fleet to the Indo-Pacific, while Australian politicians and public servants have raised the prospect of war in the region.

US President Joe Biden has also framed US-China relations as a battle “to win the 21st century”.

After her visit to Europe, Ms Payne will travel to Washington to meet representatives of the Biden administration.