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Without the US, G7 is a talk shop

This year's G7 summit in Quebec, Canada, was supposed to focus on five key themes: climate change, future of automation and jobs, gender quality, inclusive growth, and world peace. Instead, the two-day meet has underlined a fractured alliance that is unable to find a common ground on key issues, trade being the most contentious one. The six-plus-one tone of the summit was evident since the beginning. Trump generally views multilateral platforms such as this one with suspicion, arguing that America has been 'exploited' by its allies over the years. However, the importance of such forums isn't lost on the world. For years, groups such as the G7 have played a crucial role in maintaining dialogues, finding common grounds and resolving differences. The G7 in particular has been a pioneer in initiating debates and discussions on issues of global importance, and has helped carve out vital pacts such as the one on climate change and Iran nuclear deal.
The world, nonetheless, has changed dramatically since the formation of G7 in 1997. Even though the US continues to be the largest economic and military might in the world, there are other nations that have grown stronger than some of the members of the group. The Trump administration is particularly wary of China and blames Beijing's unfair trade practices for the persistently high trade deficit with the US. China's rise has resulted in a massive transfer of wealth and jobs from the US and many more countries to its mainland. Moreover, China is rightly targeted by Trump for encroaching on American technology and intellectual property. However, other advanced countries are also facing similar threats from China. Trump could have used the G7 platform to address such issues, chalk out a plan to bring back jobs to the US and European, and Canadian shores. Instead, it is unilaterally picking up fights and isolating itself from the world. What's rather unfortunate is the huge power asymmetry in the group. The US remains the most powerful economy, and Trump knows he can call the shots. Even if the other six nations get together and form a G6 plus one sort of a forum, it might not be able to produce the best results. It is a fractured alliance, at best. And unless it expands to include other economically powerful nations to counter the US, it would not be accorded the same importance as earlier.