But France, which has made tackling economic inequality a central focus of its G7 presidency this year, has taken a more conciliatory approach when it comes to dealing with China. French officials say that underinvestment in the European Union and excessive spending in the United States as well as excessive production by China contributed to the current situation.
At the G7 finance ministers’ meeting last month, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said France I wanted to stop “pointing fingers” and cooperate with all partners, including China.
“Global inequality … is not sustainable. It’s growing, it’s continuing,” Lescure said at a press conference. “They have to stop.”
President Emmanuel Macron has long been seeking contact with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, visiting China several times. And French diplomats have been working for months to secure some kind of Chinese presence at the next leaders’ meeting. Paris initially wanted to organize a “summit of harmony” with China.
US President Donald Trump in recent weeks has destroyed his belligerent language towards China after returning from a visit to Beijing optimistic about the trade relationship between the two countries with the largest economies in the world.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the possibility of the subpoena, but Trump has confirmed that he is to attend the meeting of G7 leaders in Evian.
