BRUSSELS (Kyodo) -- Finance chiefs from the Group of Seven nations agreed Tuesday to explore ways to secure new supply chains for critical minerals amid China's use of its dominance to exert diplomatic and economic influence, the Japanese minister said.

During the online G7 gathering, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said discussions should be held "from an economic security perspective on nonmarket policy practices," a remark widely seen as aimed at China.

The ministers also shared the view that it is important for G7 members to "present a united front" in strengthening supply chains for critical minerals, according to Katayama.

The virtual meeting was hosted by France, this year's rotating chair of the grouping, which includes Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union.

Earlier this month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a face-to-face gathering of G7 finance chiefs and officials from other countries, agreeing to accelerate efforts to reduce overreliance on China for critical minerals.

Representatives from Australia, India, Mexico and South Korea took part in the meeting.

China mines around 70 percent of the world's rare earths, which are vital to the manufacturing of high-tech and defense products, and refines about 90 percent of the raw materials.

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