How the world's leaders made a moving nod to Australia during G7 beach BBQ - as nations rally behind their Aussie allies in the face of growing Chinese power
- G7 thumbs its nose at Beijing by serving Australia shiraz to world leaders
- The meeting UK meeting was the first global political summit since pandemic
- Scott Morrison gave closed-door address calling for 'more work' on Covid origin
World leaders thumbed their nose at China during the G7 summit by downing a glass of Australian shiraz in a moving show of support for struggling Aussie winemakers.
Guest nation leaders from Australia, South Korea and South Africa joined figure heads from G7 countries Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and United States, over the weekend for the first in-person summit since the coronavirus pandemic began.
The summit, held in the stunning seaside community of Carbis Bay in Cornwall examined several major issues facing the globe - including China's growing aggression on the world stage and their ongoing campaign of economic coercion against Australia and others.
Scott Morrison is believed to have won over the support of the G7 nations after pushing back against Chinese dominance.
This support couldn't have been clearer during a BBQ where alongside a best-of-British menu including scallops, crab claws, mackerel, barbecued beef sirloin, lobster, leeks and brie, was an accompanying vino from Australia.
Australia has been the subject of crippling trade sanctions imposed by China, including a 212 per cent tax on wine, normally a top seller with the nation's growing middle class.
Scott Morrison (pictured, left) greets British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (centre) and his wife Carrie (right) at the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall on June 12
Hostilities between Australia and China have soared in recent years after a number of diplomatic spats (pictured, Penfolds wine is stacked on a shelf in China)
Prime Minister Morrison, in a closed-door address, addressed the summit on Sunday emphasising the need to 'embrace a liberal, rules-based order' against ongoing authoritarianism, The Australian reported.
Canberra's relationship with Beijing sensationally unraveled in April last year, when Mr Morrison's government called for an independent inquiry into the origins of the Covid pandemic.
The call for transparency outraged Beijing and the authoritarian state targeted an array of Australia exports with arbitrary bans and tariffs as apparent payback.
One of those key sectors hit with a soaring 212 per cent tariff was the $6billion wine industry, which exported 39 percent of all total product to China in 2019.
Barley, cotton, seafood, beef, copper, and coal where among the other industries crippled by the fallout.
At a beach BBQ hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's wife Carrie (pictured, right), guests enjoyed glasses of Australian shiraz
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Another issue Mr Morrison was expected to raise in the meeting was the ongoing need for such an inquiry.
Last year, lawmakers from around the world who form the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, urged their citizens to buy a 'bottle or two' of Australian wine before Christmas as a show of support to suffering producers.
With western democratic nations throwing their weight behind Australia, Mr Morrison doubled down on his criticism of China and told the room 'more work' needs to be done to determine the origins of Covid-19.
Although the G7 event is featuring a best-of-British menu including scallops, crab claws, mackerel, barbecued beef sirloin, lobster, leeks and brie, the accompanying vino was from Australia (pictured, G7 leaders at the beach BBQ in Cornwall)
'It's very important that we understand the origins and there has already been discussion around our preparedness for any future pandemic that the world can move quickly on issues like vaccines,' Mr Morrison said.
'It's about understanding it so we all on a future occasion can move quickly and can avoid on a future occasion the absolute carnage that we've seen from this pandemic.
'The process we called for is not yet done, it is recommending further work. And recommending that there be further powers for the WHO to be able to identify these things early, and ensure that information is passed on in a timely way.'
On the agenda at the meeting were issues of global security, climate change, vaccines, taxation and trade.
World leaders at the G7 summit were treated to a glass of Australian shiraz in a not-so-subtle dig against China. Pictured: Boris Johnson (left), Scott Morrison (centre) and Joe Biden (right)
The G7 beach BBQ was hosted by the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's wife Carrie (pictured, leaders at the event on June 12)
G7 leaders discussed the need for democratic nations to work closer together to fend off increased aggression by totalitarian powers China and Russia.
The Western allies also took aim at China's global infrastructure plan - the Belt and Road Initiative - which has been labelled 'debt trap diplomacy' by democratic critics.
Mr Morrison also lobbied the summit and President Biden to bolster the World Trade Organisation so it can play a larger role in settling international disputes.
With the meeting touted a major success for guest nation Australia, Mr Morrison will now meet with senior British national security officials in London to discuss Indo-Pacific security.
