Leaders Arrive in Japan for G7 Focused on Ukraine War, China Concerns

Group of Seven (G7) leaders have begun a flurry of bilateral meetings (Bloomberg) in Hiroshima, Japan, ahead of the group’s annual summit, which formally begins tomorrow. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the leaders will discuss “the challenges that China poses” in the Indo-Pacific and around the world. Concerns related to artificial intelligence (AI) are also on the agenda (NYT). Leaders from Australia, Brazil, Comoros, the Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam, and the European Union are attending as guests, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to address the summit by video conference.

G7 leaders are also expected to discuss Kyiv’s plan (FT) for ending the war in Ukraine. The proposal calls for Russia’s full withdrawal from Ukrainian territory, unlike a China-proposed plan to end the war. Ukrainian officials recently hosted a Chinese delegation touting that plan.

Analysis

“Within Japan, this summit will also be an important test of Tokyo’s global influence,” CFR’s Sheila A. Smith writes. “Now, [Prime Minister Kishida Fumio] needs to demonstrate that he, like Abe [Shinzo] before him, can amplify Japan’s voice and marshal support for its security at a precarious moment in world affairs.”

“G7 leaders also need to consider the feeling among many countries that Western powers—focused on Ukraine—are dismissive of the concerns of states and peoples elsewhere. For many countries in the so-called Global South, inflation, commodity shocks and mounting debts are the main threats of the moment,” the International Crisis Group writes.

This Backgrounder explains the role of the G7.

Global

WMO: World Likely to Breach Critical 1.5°C Threshold Within Five Years

Global climate diplomacy has focused on limiting planetary warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F) above preindustrial levels, but that threshold will likely be breached (CNN) by 2027 due to humanity’s continued reliance on fossil fuels and the predicted return of the weather pattern El Niño, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said.

This Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland looks at the successes and failures of global climate agreements.

Pacific Rim

Seven Major Semiconductor Firms Say They Will Increase Business in Japan

The heads of the world’s largest chipmakers met with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida (FT) in Tokyo today. Their plans to expand operations in Japan come as certain Western governments seek to diversify semiconductor supply chains away from China and Taiwan.

For the Net Politics blog, Chris Miller and CFR’s David Sacks unpack the global war over semiconductors.

South and Central Asia

China Holds First In-Person Summit With Central Asian Leaders

The leaders of five Central Asian countries are in the Chinese city of Xi’an through tomorrow for a meeting that reportedly aims to counter the G7 summit. While the countries already cooperate on energy exports, they are expected to announce increased cooperation on counterterrorism measures, Nikkei reported.

Myanmar: China, India, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand were the top suppliers (Nikkei) of more than $1 billion in arms and weapons-making materials purchased by Myanmar’s military since it took over the country in 2021, a UN report said.

Middle East and North Africa

Israeli Police Reinforce Security Ahead of Nationalist Parade Through Jerusalem

The annual parade is expected to see tens of thousands of Jewish Israelis march through the city’s Muslim Quarter. It comes less than a week (Times of Israel) after a cease-fire quelled fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

Saudi Arabia/Syria: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is traveling to Saudi Arabia (AP) today to attend his first Arab League summit since the group expelled Syria in 2011.

In this In Brief, Kali Robinson discusses who benefits as Syria normalizes relations with Arab countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Generic Version of HIV-Prevention Drug to Be Made in South Africa

Indian pharmaceutical company Cipla will manufacture the drug at its South African plants as part of a global effort to reduce the cost of drugs (Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism) in lower-income countries.

Nigeria: Assailants killed four people (WaPo) in an attack on a U.S. diplomatic convoy on Tuesday, the State Department said. U.S. and Nigerian officials are investigating the attack.

Europe

Russia Agrees to Extend Black Sea Grain Deal for Two More Months

The United Nations and Turkey brokered the deal last July to allow Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea amid its war with Russia. The agreement has been repeatedly extended (BBC) since then.

France: Nicolas Sarkozy lost his appeal of the first corruption-related prison sentence ever given to a former French president. He must wear an electronic monitor (The Guardian) during a year of house arrest.

Americas

Brazilian Regulator Blocks Offshore Oil Project Near Mouth of Amazon River

Eighty civil society and environmental groups had called for Brazil’s environmental regulator to reject (AP) the drilling license sought by state oil company Petróleo Brasileiro S.A., or Petrobras.

Ecuador: The country’s top court will review the legality (Bloomberg) of President Guillermo Lasso’s dissolution of the opposition-led congress yesterday, the court said in a filing.

United States

Montana Becomes First U.S. State to Ban TikTok

The ban, due to take effect in January, stems from perceived data privacy concerns and is expected to be challenged (CNN) in court.

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