France will invite leaders from several major emerging economies to attend the upcoming G7 summit in June, as it seeks to broaden international support for addressing global economic imbalances—while China will notably not be among the participants.
The summit, set to take place in Evian-les-Bains from June 15–17, will include leaders from India, South Korea, Brazil and Kenya, according to the French presidency. Officials say the move reflects an effort to engage a broader group of democratic and market-based economies in tackling global challenges.
At the heart of France’s initiative is a push to prevent what it sees as the risk of a “massive financial crisis.” Paris is urging China to stimulate domestic demand and reduce export imbalances, while also calling on the United States to rein in deficits and on Europe to boost production.
Despite attempts to involve Beijing, China will not attend the summit and continues to question the legitimacy of the G7, which it has described as a “club of rich countries.” French officials said engagement with China would instead continue through separate diplomatic channels.
The summit is also expected to take place under the shadow of ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly the energy shock linked to the conflict involving Iran. French officials acknowledged uncertainty over how the situation will evolve by June but stressed that its economic and energy consequences will be a central topic of discussion.
Adding to the uncertainty is whether Donald Trump will attend. His tariff policies have unsettled both allies and global markets, raising questions about the future direction and cohesion of the G7 itself.
