G-7 leaders agree on vaccines, countering China

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Leaders of the G-7 in Cornwall, U.K., on Friday. Associated Press/ Photo by Patrick Semansky

G-7 leaders agree on vaccines, countering China

Leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations pledged more than 1 billion coronavirus vaccine doses to poorer nations during the first in-person Group of Seven summit in two years. Meeting in Cornwall, U.K., this weekend, the G-7 nations—the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom—agreed to present a unified front against China. The meeting marked a sift from former President Donald Trump’s often confrontational tone toward traditional allies

What else did the leaders decide? They voiced support for a minimum tax of at least 15 percent on large multinational companies. They also vowed to help developing countries as the world recovers from the pandemic, and to fight climate change. Critics say the 1 billion vaccine doses is not enough: The World Health Organization says it will take 11 billion doses to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the world’s population.

Dig deeper: Read Mindy Belz’s report in WORLD about delays in getting vaccines to poorer countries.

Leigh Jones

Leigh is features editor for WORLD. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate who spent six years as a newspaper reporter in Texas before joining WORLD News Group. Leigh also co-wrote Infinite Monster: Courage, Hope, and Resurrection in the Face of One of America's Largest Hurricanes. She resides with her husband and daughter in Houston, Texas.