Report: China, Germany to step up global leadership at G-20

Germany and China are expected to take up more of the leadership role long held by the United States at the upcoming Group of 20 (G-20) meeting, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Diplomats and officials from G-20 countries told Bloomberg that they are looking to the European and Asian powers to take the lead on global issues at the annual summit, which is set to take place in Hamburg, Germany, later this week.

The expectation for China and Germany to mount an informal alliance to take up the leadership role comes amid accusations by some countries that the U.S. under the Trump administration has abdicated its world leadership role. 

{mosads}

President Trump rose to political power during the 2016 election by campaigning on “America first” policies and vowing to do away with what he has called unfair political and economic relationships. 

Since taking office, Trump has ended the country’s pursuit of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, threatened to leave the North American Free Trade Agreement and announced the U.S.’s intent to withdraw from the 195-nation Paris climate accord.

Trump’s wariness of international institutions and agreements was on full display in May during his first trip abroad as president, when he publicly faulted NATO members for what he sees as insufficient military spending and failed to endorse the organization’s mutual defense pledge, though the White House later said it would uphold its commitment to that the alliance.