Finance ministers from the Group of Seven gathered in Paris on Monday for a two-day meeting aimed at finding common ground on global economic challenges, trade tensions and securing critical mineral supply chains amid growing geopolitical divisions.
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The discussions come shortly after talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the two leaders maintained diplomatic engagement but delivered few concrete economic outcomes.
French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, who is hosting the meeting, highlighted concerns over long-term structural imbalances in the global economy. He argued that current patterns of economic activity remain unsustainable, pointing to China’s relatively low domestic consumption, high US consumption and insufficient investment across Europe.
Ministers are expected to assess the state of US-China relations and examine broader economic consequences stemming from instability in the Middle East and disruptions affecting global energy and shipping markets.
Another major focus of the talks is reducing dependence on Chinese supplies of critical minerals and rare earth materials that are essential for sectors including electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies and defence systems.
G7 members are considering stronger coordination measures to monitor supply chains, prevent market disruptions and encourage alternative sources through joint investment initiatives and policy tools.
However, officials acknowledged that reaching a unified strategy remains challenging, with differences among member states complicating efforts to present a coordinated economic approach ahead of the leaders’ summit scheduled next month.
