The annual G8 Summit opened grandly in Sapporo, Japan. Leaders from the world's major developed and developing countries gathered to discuss global issues and engage in intensive diplomatic activities, aiming to secure more benefits for their respective nations.
Reviewing this political extravaganza, some heavyweight political leaders such as U.S. President Bush, UK Prime Minister Brown, French President Sarkozy, and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda have seen their prestige at the summit wane significantly, either due to nearing the end of their terms or facing domestic public dissatisfaction. An article by Tufts University Associate Professor Daniel W. Drezner published in Newsweek pointed out that the countries of the G8 are not as powerful as they once were, and the influence of the G8 Summit is also on the decline.
However, Chinese President Hu Jintao made significant gains at the summit. He called on the international community to correctly understand China's emissions issues and attempted to represent developing countries in negotiating with developed nations. He also shared his insights on issues such as the global economy and food security. At the same time, leveraging the momentum as the leader of the host country for the Olympics, Hu Jintao widely invited world leaders to attend the Beijing Olympics, becoming an international political figure who outshone the G8 leaders.