Joe Biden is participating this weekend in his first G7, he will also participate in a NATO summit and meet Vladimir Poutine.

Nicole Bacharan, specialist in the United States, analyzes for Europe 1 the dynamics it carries and the role it intends to play in the concert of nations as well as the points of friction, in particular on the Chinese question.

"Europe is his priority for its world diplomacy".

For Nicole Bacharan, political scientist and specialist in the United States, the fact that Joe Biden is making his first trip abroad to Europe sends a clear signal.

His slogan "America is back" is also intended for his allies who can count on him.

However, Europe and the United States do not agree on everything.

For her, the Chinese question is "the thorniest issue in these American-European meetings", in particular of the G7.

Leadership or partnership of the United States?

As Nicole Bacharan confirms, "Biden, unlike Trump, Obama and even George Bush, loves these international summits. He knows everyone. He loves the discussion, the handshakes and the pat on the back but he is firm in his positions ". 

There are still many points of agreement.

"Roughly speaking, we agree on the climate, on global vaccination. We know that trade agreements must be improved, but the vision of China differs", summarizes the political scientist.

There is also the relationship between Europe and the United States.

Biden "wishes to become again the leader of what one could call the free world. The Europeans speak more of cooperation than of leadership on China".

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And if we said Macron annoyed by Bidenmania, the political scientist tempers the analysis.

“I think they understand each other. I think they basically agree. That there is an authoritarian threat against democracies, both from distant powers like China, but also from there. 'inside our countries'.

However, she recognizes, "the rivalry between a French and American president is old", because there is a "will to mark its difference, to defend interests which are close, but not quite the same".

This is especially true, again, on the Chinese question.

Division on the question of China

In the United States, she explains, "Republicans and Democrats agree enough to analyze China as a threatening power" for several reasons.

"Because she went from authoritarian to ultra authoritarian with a president for life", but also for "the genocide of the Uyghurs, Hong Kong, etc", lists Nicole Bacharan.

China is also seen as a threat "in terms of cybersecurity, militarily, on supply chains".

Overall there is a "fear of China's growing political, financial and economic influence in the service of an autocratic regime" over democracies.

>> Find the newspaper of the mid-day weekend in podcast and in replay here 

Except that Europeans do not share the same considerations. "Not only is there a division vis-à-vis the United States, but there is a division between Europeans," recalls Nicole Bacharan. Thus, "Germany sells most of its cars to China, Italy had agreements with China during the pandemic for medical aid. France is a little harder, but less harsh than the United States. ". American support will however be more palpable on other subjects, Biden having returned to the WHO, the Paris Agreement and "reiterated the American commitment" to NATO.