WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, today released the following statement ahead of President Joe Biden’s trip to Japan and the 49th G7 summit:
“I congratulate Japan—America’s most important ally in the Indo-Pacific—as it hosts this year’s G7 summit and advances an agenda focused on promoting economic and energy security, addressing Communist China’s growing threats, and preserving stability. This year’s G7 meeting offers an opportunity to forge consensus on countering the China challenge given the CCP’s alarming military ambitions and its use of economic coercion around the world.
“I urge President Biden to strongly lead our allies and partners in standing up together against the Chinese Communist Party’s threats in the diplomatic, economic, technological, and military domains. I also urge the Biden Administration and our other G7 partners to heed Japan’s calls to increase international investment in clean natural gas, LNG, and other cost-effective and reliable energy sources, which will not only advance our respective national and economic interests, but also further defund Putin’s war machine.
“In addition, I look forward to the trilateral summit among President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, and South Korean President Yoon on the G7’s sidelines. It is critical for the United States, Japan, and South Korea to continue strengthening and deepening our trilateral partnership.”
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