The G7 leaders on Wednesday said there was no legal basis for Chinese maritime expansion in the South China Sea.
G7 warns China on military activities in South China Sea, urges it to press Russia to exit Ukraine
- Body representing most of world’s largest economies tells Beijing that playing by international rules ‘would be of global interest’
- Amid increasing criticism of China’s conduct in South China Sea, G7 leaders say no legal basis for its maritime expansion there
Igor Patrickin Washington
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The G7 on Wednesday issued a pointed warning on China’s militarization of the South China Sea and called for Beijing to press Russia for an unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine.
The body representing most of the world’s largest economies had Beijing squarely in mind after convening a virtual meeting attended by its members’ heads of state.
In a statement, it urged China to “press Russia to stop its military aggression” and to “support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine” in line with the principles of the UN Charter.
While the Group of 7 leaders reaffirmed a commitment to building “constructive and stable relations with China”, they said Beijing must abide by international rules and address challenges like climate change and debt sustainability in vulnerable countries.
“A growing China that plays by international rules would be of global interest,” the leaders said in the statement.
- “We are not decoupling or turning inwards. At the same time, we recognise that economic resilience requires de-risking and diversifying.”
- The group added it would take steps “individually and collectively” to invest in their “own economic vibrancy” as well as “reduce excessive dependencies in our critical supply chains.”
With respect to the South China Sea, the leaders expressed their opposition to “China’s expansive maritime claims and militarization activities” in the highly disputed region.
The Chinese Navy has increasingly drawn criticism from southeast Asian countries for what has been described as belligerent conduct. . .
On Wednesday, the G7 sought to stress the importance of stability in the Taiwan Strait and highlighted China’s human rights record.
The group also emphasised Hong Kong’s right to autonomy under the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution agreed between Britain and China before the 1997 handover.
“We will keep voicing our concerns about the human rights situation in China, including in Tibet and Xinjiang where forced labour is of major concern to us,” the statement read, referring to two autonomous regions in the country where the treatment of ethnic minorities has proved a geopolitical flashpoint.
It added: “We call on China to honour its commitments under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, which enshrine rights, freedoms and a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong.”
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