The G7 foreign ministers issued a joint statement on Friday (March 14) taking a tough stance on China, with China’s provocation in the Indo-Pacific being one of the focal points of the summit. The statement also strengthened the language on the Taiwan issue, notably omitting some conciliatory terms that had been used in previous statements, such as the “One China policy”.
The G7 foreign ministers met in the Canadian resort town of La Malbaie this week. G7 member countries include the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Representatives from the European Union usually also attend G7 meetings.
Compared to previous statements, this G7 meeting’s statement featured fewer conciliatory terms. Reuters was among the first to take note of this change.
In past statements (most recently in November last year), the G7 would typically affirm in their joint statement that their fundamental stance on the Taiwan issue had not changed, including adherence to the “One China policy”. The statements would also emphasize that the G7 does not seek to decouple from China and recognize China’s importance in global trade. However, these appeasing words toward Beijing were absent in this latest statement.
China has always been sensitive about the Taiwan issue and strongly opposes any moves by Western nations to decouple from China.
In the November statement, the G7 foreign ministers said, “As we seek a constructive and stable relationship with China, we acknowledge the importance of direct and frank engagement for expressing concerns and addressing differences. We reaffirm our willingness to work with China to address global challenges. We reiterate our readiness to cooperate with China in addressing global challenges.” However, the statement this Friday did not include such conciliatory remarks. Instead, it expressed concerns about China’s nuclear arms development.
The Friday statement also did not mention China’s human rights abuses in regions such as Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong.
From the G7 statement released on Friday, it is evident that one of the focal points of the meeting was China’s provocations in the Indo-Pacific region.
The G7 statement once again reiterated its stance on the Taiwan issue. China has consistently claimed its intention to unify Taiwan. The G7 members emphasized the “importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”. They advocated for a peaceful resolution to cross-strait issues, reiterated their opposition to any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion, and expressed support for Taiwan to “meaningfully participate in relevant international organizations”.
The statement said that the G7 reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a “free, open, prosperous, and secure” Indo-Pacific region based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful dispute resolution, basic freedoms, and human rights.
“G7 expresses ‘serious concerns’ over the East China Sea and South China Sea situations, and continues to strongly oppose attempts to unilaterally change the status quo, especially through the use of force and coercion,” the statement said.
The G7 also criticized, without naming names, China’s provocations towards the Philippines and Vietnam. The G7 expressed concerns over China’s increasing use of hazardous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine and Vietnamese vessels. They also expressed concerns about China’s violations of international law, particularly regarding its militarization and coercion tactics in the South China Sea that restrict freedom of navigation and overflight.
“They (G7) express concerns over China’s military buildup and the continued rapid growth of China’s (CCP) nuclear arsenal. They call on China to engage in discussions to reduce strategic risks and to promote stability through transparency,” the statement said.
The G7 member countries also condemned China for conducting or allowing activities that aim to undermine the “security and integrity of communities” as well as the “integrity of democratic systems”.
The statement said that they have concerns about China’s “non-market policies and practices, which are leading to harmful global excess capacity and market distortions”.
“The G7 members further urge China not to adopt export control measures that could severely disrupt supply chains,” the statement said.
In the statement, the G7 foreign ministers clarified that their actions towards China were not aimed at harming China or impeding China’s economic growth, but rather at urging Beijing to act in accordance with international rules.
“In fact, a China that abides by international rules and norms, and evolves in a manner that is beneficial to the globe, is in everyone’s interest,” the statement said.
According to the G7 joint statement, this meeting also discussed achieving “long-term prosperity and stability in Ukraine” as well as “regional peace and stability in the Middle East”.