Anthony Albanese joins G7 for ‘vital’ Japan summit

Anthony Albanese has flown to Hiroshima for a ‘vital meeting’ of the G7 where leaders will discuss Chinese economic coercion and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Anthony Albanese is on his way to Hiroshima, Japan, for the G7 summit. Picture: AFP

Anthony Albanese is flying to Hiroshima for a “vital meeting” of the G7, where leaders of the world’s strongest liberal-democracies will discuss Chinese economic coercion and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

During the three-day summit in Japan, Prime Minister Albanese will also meet separately with the Quad leaders after President Joe Biden cancelled his trip to Sydney to deal with debt ceiling negotiations in Washington.

On Friday in Hiroshima, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and the newly elected President of Brazil Lula da Silva.

Mr Albanese said he was “honoured” to accept Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s invitation to participate as an outreach partner at the G7 Summit.

“This is a vital meeting at a vital moment for the global economy and our region,” he said.

“It’s a busy summit with a full and important agenda, and I look forward to meeting with fellow Quad leaders while we are together in Japan.

“I’m proud to take Australia’s seat at a table that represents more than half a trillion dollars a year in trade – supporting Australian businesses, producers, jobs, innovators and industries.

“Australia stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s largest advanced-economy liberal democracies, collaborating on challenges confronting the global economy, supply chain resilience, climate and energy, a free and open Indo-Pacific and upholding the international rules-based order.”

The meeting comes as Ukraine prepares for its counteroffensive against Russia.

In an apparent attempt to blunt criticism from Europe about its propaganda support for Vladimir Putin’s war, China sent an envoy to Ukraine on the eve of the G7 meeting – the first visit by a Chinese diplomat since Russia invaded in February 2022, days after the Russian president was Xi Jinping’s guest of honour at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

At a rare press conference held in Canberra, China’s ambassador lashed out at the Hiroshima summit and Quad grouping, which he said were fuelling anti-China sentiment and stoking regional tensions.

Xiao Qian said the countries attending were misleading the international community about China’s ambitions in the Pacific.

Mr Xiao said G7 nations – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and US – only served their personal interests and accounted for less than 40 per cent of global economic output.

“They are not only targeting China as a so-called threat, but also trying to co-ordinate with other countries in the region and globally to contain China,” the ambassador told reporters on Thursday.

“Their people have been enjoying top-level living standards for several decades. They want to continue that and it’s good for them but for countries like China or other developing countries, we want to make progress.”

After announcing the easing of a timber ban that had roiled the Australian industry for three years, the Chinese envoy also hit out at the Quad leaders’ meeting between Australia, the US, Japan and India.

“It’s even a worse idea when we are trying to target China,” he said.

“We want to have a relationship that is co-operative, that is not confrontational. We don’t see conflict.”

Sensitive to criticisms beyond the rich world about the group, Japan has invited the leaders of India and Brazil to Hiroshima, the home city of Mr Kishida’s family.

Amid meetings on Friday, Mr Albanese will visit the Peace Park and the iconic Atomic Dome, which commemorates the destruction wrought by a nuclear bomb dropped on the city by the US at the end of World War II.