Washington (AFP)

The tone is set: US President Donald Trump flew Friday night for the G7 summit in Biarritz threatening to impose additional tariffs on French wines.

Even before the start of this meeting in the French resort, the tempestuous tenant of the White House has shown that he did not intend to give up his combative style and willingly provocative.

The G7 summit brings together the heads of state and government of the seven most industrialized countries (Germany, Canada, United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom).

At the 2018 edition in Quebec, Donald Trump caused a stir by treating Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "dishonest" and refusing to sign the final declaration of the summit.

During an exchange with journalists in the gardens of the White House before climbing the presidential helicopter Marine One, the Republican billionaire said he expected talks "very productive" in Biarritz.

But he also brandished with force the threat of retaliation for the imposition of a French tax on the US giants of the high-tech sector.

"I do not like what France has done," he said. "I do not want France to impose taxes on our societies, it's very unfair."

"If they do, we will impose tariffs on their wines," he added. "Tariffs like they have never seen," he insisted, adding that he had "very good relations" with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

- "Little argument with China" -

In late July, the US president had denounced the "stupidity" of his French counterpart about the tax voted in early July by Parliament.

The so-called Gafa tax creates a taxation of large companies in the sector not on earnings, often consolidated in countries with very low taxes like Ireland, but up to 3% of turnover in France, including the targeted online advertising, the sale of data for advertising purposes and the linking of Internet users by the platforms.

The 70-year-old president, who will seek a second term in November 2020, plans to meet face-to-face with most G7 leaders, starting with Emmanuel Macron, with whom there are many disagreements, from Iran to the climate. through the taxation of digital giants led by Paris.

The meeting between Mr Trump, a strong supporter of an uncompromising Brexit, and the new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will also be closely scrutinized.

A few hours before his departure, the tenant of the White House once again blew on the embers of the trade war between the United States and China with a series of tweets with a particularly aggressive tone.

Beijing on Friday announced new tariffs, and the US president fought back by announcing that all of the $ 550 billion worth of Chinese products imported into the United States would be subject to even higher customs duties by the end of the year. year.

"Our economy is in excellent health", he hammered before flying to Bordeaux. "We have a little argument with China and we will win."

© 2019 AFP