Feb 14, 2021 - World

Biden to discuss pandemic, climate crisis and China at virtual G7 talks

Rebecca Falconer

President Joe Biden wears a protective mask while meeting with Democratic senators in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 3 — President Biden in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images

President Biden will join fellow G7 leaders for a virtual meeting Friday to discuss the pandemic response, economic recovery, China and the climate crisis, the White House said.

Why it matters: This will be Biden's first meeting with Group of Seven leaders as president. It's the first gathering of G7 leaders from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom since last April.

Details: The focus of the meeting, hosted by the U.K., will be on a global response to the pandemic. This will include "coordination on vaccine production, distribution, and supplies," the White House said in an emailed statement Sunday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement he would "call for leaders to work together on a joined-up global approach to pandemics that brings an end to the nationalist and divisive politics that marred the initial response to coronavirus."

What to watch: Per the White House statement, leaders will also discuss the "need to make investments to strengthen our collective competitiveness and the importance of updating global rules to tackle economic challenges such as those posed by China."

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Biden to discuss pandemic, climate crisis and China at virtual G7 talks

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