Rishi Sunak has warned that China poses “the biggest challenge” to global security at the end of a G7 summit.
Concern about Beijing’s rise has been a key theme of the summit in Hiroshima this weekend, as has its recent sabre-rattling towards Taiwan.
The Prime Minister said: “China poses the biggest challenge of our age to global security and prosperity, they are increasingly authoritarian at home and assertive abroad.
“This is all about de-risking, not de-coupling.”
He added: “We will work together as the G7 and other countries make sure that we can de-risk ourselves and the vulnerability of supply chains that we have seen from China, take the steps necessary to protect ourselves against hostile investment and do so in a way that doesn’t damage each other.”
In a strongly worded statement, leaders of the G7, including Joe Biden, Mr Sunak and Emmanuel Macron, told China that they are no longer prepared to tolerate its “economic coercion” and military expansionism.
The leaders stated that while they are willing to build “constructive and stable relations with China”, that can only happen if the Communist superpower “plays by international rules”.
It came after Mr Sunak vowed Britain’s support for Ukraine will “never waver” as he met President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit on Saturday.
The PM said his friend’s visit sent an "incredibly powerful message” and he vowed "brute force and oppression will not triumph over freedom and sovereignty".
When Mr Zelensky arrived they embraced and the PM said: “You made it!”
G7 leaders urged China to press Russia to end the war. The US said it would train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters. Mr Zelensky tweeted: “Important meetings. Security and enhanced co-operation for our victory. Peace will become closer today.”
