G7 meets in Paris to address trade imbalances and critical minerals

Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of Seven nations are gathering in Paris on Monday for a two-day meeting aimed at addressing deep-seated global economic tensions and coordinating supplies of critical raw materials, even as geopolitical divisions test the group's unity.

The talks, hosted by France, which holds the rotating G7 presidency, follow a recent summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping that yielded few concrete economic breakthroughs. French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said the core agenda item involves what he described as unsustainable global economic imbalances fueling trade friction and financial market risks. He pointed to a pattern of weak consumption in China, large budget deficits in the United States, and sluggish investment in Europe.

Lescure acknowledged the challenges of achieving consensus, particularly with the United States. He said the meeting offers an opportunity for frank dialogue among allies at a time of widening disagreements. French officials said merely agreeing that all sides bear some responsibility for trade and capital flow imbalances would constitute a success, though U.S. officials...