"This is not just about confronting or taking on China," a senior official in Biden's administration said. The United States later said there was a G7 consensus on the need for a shared approach to China on trade and human rights. More than 100 countries have signed agreements with China to cooperate in BRI projects such as railways, ports, highways and other infrastructure. As part of the G7 plan, the United States will work with the US Congress to supplement existing development financing and to "collectively catalyze hundreds of billions of dollars of infrastructure investment", the White House said. The United States has pushed for specific language in the communique about alleged forced labour in the China's Xinjiang region, officials said.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 12, 2021 22:41 UTC