But France, which has made tackling economic imbalances a key aim of its G7 presidency this year, has taken a more conciliatory approach when it comes to dealing with China. French officials argue that underinvestment in the European Union and overconsumption in the U.S. as well as Chinese overproduction contributed to the current situation.
At a G7 finance ministers meeting last month, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said France wanted to move away from “finger-pointing” and engage with all partners, including China.
“Global imbalances … are not sustainable. They’re growing, they’re persistent,” Lescure said at a press conference. “They have to stop.”
President Emmanuel Macron has long sought to engage with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping, visiting China on multiple occasions. And French diplomats have for months been working on getting some sort of Chinese attendance at the upcoming leaders’ summit. Paris initially wanted to organize a “summit of convergences” with China.
U.S. President Donald Trump has in recent weeks tamped down his vitriolic language toward China after returning from a visit to Beijing sanguine about the trading relationship between the world’s two biggest economies.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the possible call, but Trump has confirmed he is attending the G7 leaders summit in Evian.