Trudeau to discuss foreign policy with G7 leaders at second day of summit meeting

Jun 12, 2021 | 1:04 AM

FALMOUTH, CORNWALL, ENGLAND — Foreign policy is on the agenda for a meeting between international leaders gathered in England to strategize on how best to tackle some of their most pressing challenges. 

Ramping up the worldwide vaccine campaign to beat COVID-19 is a major focus of the G7 Leaders’ Summit, hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 

Another area they will turn their attention to is foreign policy, which they will discuss during a closed-door session. 

How to deal with China and its more aggressive stance is one of the challenges faced by these countries, including Canada, which has strong economic ties to the nation.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing pressure from the Opposition Conservatives to be tougher with China, where two Canadians were detained following the 2018 arrest of a Huawei Technologies executive for extradition to the United States on fraud charges. 

He has said in the past that his Liberal government is working hard to bring them home and sees their detention as a retaliation and pressure tactic since Meng Wanzhou was arrested.

Throughout the day, Trudeau is also set meet with the leaders of France, Italy and Germany. He met with Johnson the day before.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2021.

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press