Biden sees shift in ties with China ‘shortly’

US President Joe Biden yesterday said the Group of Seven nations were agreed in their approach to China and the need to diversify their supply chains so they are not dependent on one country.

"We're not looking to decouple from China. We're looking to de-risk and diversify our relationship with China," Biden told reporters in Hiroshima, Japan, at the conclusion of a meeting of world leaders.

He added that he expected a thaw in frosty relations with China "shortly" after strains caused by an incident earlier this year when the United States shot down a Chinese balloon that flew over sensitive military sites.

Biden also said he had received a "flat assurance" from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he would not use Western-provided F-16 jets to go into Russian territory.

Biden told reporters that F-16 warplanes could be used "wherever Russian troops are within Ukraine and the area".

He said it was "highly unlikely" the planes would be used in any Ukrainian offensive in the coming weeks, but that Ukrainian troops could need such weapons to defend themselves against Russian forces beyond their current reach.

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) richest democracies yesterday said they would not back down from supporting Ukraine, in a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he claimed to have taken the eastern city of Bakhmut, something Kyiv denied.

Biden announced a $375 million package of military aid, including artillery and armoured vehicles, for Ukraine during the final day of a three-day G7 summit.

Biden told G7 leaders during the summit Washington supports joint allied training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s warplanes, although Kyiv has not won specific, public commitments for delivery of the fighter jets.

Zelensky said yesterday he was confident Kyiv would receive F-16 fighter jets from the West after months of lobbying for the planes.