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G-7 trade ministers vow to cooperate on tech export controls

Trade ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies on Tuesday agreed to cooperate to impose export controls for cutting-edge technologies amid concerns that countries such as China may use them for military purposes and surveillance.

"We reaffirm that export controls are a fundamental policy tool to address the challenges posed by the diversion of technology critical to military applications as well as for other activities that threaten global, regional, and national security," the ministers said in a joint statement after an online meeting.

The G-7, which groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union, also underscored the need to use such export restrictions to address the "misuse" of critical and emerging technologies by "malicious actors," without citing specific countries.

Japan, which holds the rotating G-7 presidency this year, has joined U.S.-led efforts to stymie China's ability to develop high-end semiconductors, which could be used for military modernization and artificial intelligence training.

"We continue to work with other states in strengthening effective and responsible export controls in a way that keeps pace with rapid technological developments," the statement said.

China has also faced criticism over its oppressive treatment in the country's Xinjiang region of the Muslim Uyghur minority, who are said to be under heavy surveillance via AI-using cameras and facial recognition devices.

The G-7 trade ministers, meanwhile, expressed serious concern over the use of economic leverage to interfere with the choices of other countries, saying that they "strongly oppose any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by economic coercion."

Amid a standoff between Russia and the West over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the G-7 has condemned Russian attempts to use Europe's dependence on Russian oil and natural gas as a weapon. China's use of its economic power to seek concessions has also been a source of concern among countries in the Indo-Pacific.

Recognizing the importance of building resilient supply chain networks, the group also touched on the importance of collaborating with non-G-7 partners, especially emerging and developing countries, as "key suppliers, producers and purchasers in global supply chains."

"We....will discuss ways to deepen cooperation with these partners," the G-7 ministers said in the statement.

They also said transparency, diversification, trustworthiness and reliability are among the "essential principles" toward building robust supply chains.

The outcome of the ministerial-level discussions is expected to be reflected in the G-7 leaders' meeting slated for May 19 to 21 in the western Japan city of Hiroshima.

The trade representatives of the G-7 are scheduled to gather in-person in October in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, after the summit.

Source: Kyodo News

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