Biden has talked a good game about Putin, but has done nothing: KT McFarland
Former Deputy National Security Adviser K.T. McFarland on what to expect from Biden's summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, arguing Putin is testing President Biden.
President Biden took questions from reporters Sunday after the conclusion of the G-7 summit in the United Kingdom.
Bloomberg reporter Jennifer Jacobs pressed Biden about whether G-7 leaders' response to China's alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang Province was strong enough.
"The final language in the G-7 communique does have some mention of China … but I know it’s not as tough as you and your team wanted it to be. … Why isn’t it as tough? There isn’t very much action in it," Jacobs asked.
"As you know, the last time the G-7 met, there was no mention of China. But this time there is mention of China. The G-7 explicitly agreed to call out human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong," Biden said. "I know this is going to sound somewhat prosaic, but I think we're in a contest, not with China per se, but a contest with autocrats, autocratic governments around the world, as to whether or not democracies can compete with them in the rapidly changing 21st century."
"I think there's plenty of action on China," he said.
President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference after attending the G-7 summit, Sunday, June 13, 2021, at Cornwall Airport in Newquay, England. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Later on Sunday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will meet with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle.
The press conference comes after the leaders of the world’s richest countries have pledged more than 1 billion coronavirus vaccine doses to poorer nations, endorsed a global minimum tax on multinational corporations and agreed they will work together to challenge China’s "non-market economic practices" and to call on Beijing to respect human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
BIDEN TO URGE G-7 LEADERS TO STAND UP TO CHINA ON REEDUCATION CAMP ABUSES
"President Biden and leaders agreed to a set of concrete actions around key priorities responding to forced labor in global supply chains, the ransomware threat, and fighting corruption," the White House said in a statement Sunday.
"The United States and our G7 partners remain deeply concerned by the use of all forms of forced labor in global supply chains, including state-sponsored forced labor of vulnerable groups and minorities and supply chains of the agricultural, solar, and garment sectors — the main supply chains of concern in Xinjiang," the statement continued.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, and U.S. President Joe Biden attend a plenary session, during the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, England, Sunday June 13, 2021. (Phil Noble/Pool via AP)
Beijing has been accused of imposing forced labor on an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and other minorities, as well as torture, forced birth control and family separations. The Communist Party has denied the allegations.
After the G-7 meeting ends Sunday, Biden will leave for Belgium and then Switzerland, where he’ll meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Biden will hold a solo press conference in Switzerland after his meeting with Putin, the White House said Saturday.
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Biden did a bilateral press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday and did the same with United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday.
Earlier in his term, he faced criticism for limiting access to the press. Biden held his first press conference as president more than 60 days into his term.
Fox News' Brie Stimson, Patrick Ward and Tyler Olson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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