G7 Bloc wants ‘constructive, stable’ relations with China

G7 leaders yesterday warned China over its “militarisation activities” in the Asia-Pacific region but said the bloc also wanted “constructive and stable relations” with Beijing.

In a final communique issued at a summit in Hiroshima, the nations laid out a raft of concerns about China’s economic and military activities, reports AFP.

But they also sought to keep the door open to cooperation and avoid further inflaming tensions between the world’s second largest economy and the grouping of major Western powers plus Japan.

Meanwhile, China firmly opposes the G7 joint statement out of Hiroshima and has complained to summit organiser Japan, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

The ministry said that the G7, disregarding China’s concerns, had attacked it and interfered in its internal affairs, including Taiwan, the ministry said in a statement.

China has expressed its strong dissatisfaction and has lodged stern representations with summit host Japan, the statement added, according to AFP.

The Group of Seven in their statement said, “We stand prepared to build constructive and stable relations with China, recognising the importance of engaging candidly with and expressing our concerns directly to China,”

“Our policy approaches are not designed to harm China nor do we seek to thwart China’s economic progress and development,” the statement continued, adding that the G7 countries are not “decoupling or turning inwards”.

Still, the language made clear the bloc’s wide-ranging concerns about Beijing’s willingness to deploy trade measures in diplomatic disputes and G7 determination to untangle sensitive supply chains from Chinese influence.

“Economic resilience requires de-risking and diversifying,” the communique said, pledging to “reduce excessive dependencies in our critical supply chains”.

The bloc warned against China’s “militarisation” in the South China Sea and repeated that “peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait is “indispensable” to global security.

The countries urged China to use its influence with Russia “to stop its military aggression, and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine”.

They warned that countries attempting to use trade as a weapon would face “consequences”, sending a strong signal to Beijing over practices Washington says amount to economic bullying, reports Reuters.

“We are not decoupling or turning inwards. At the same time, we recognise that economic resilience requires de-risking and diversifying,” they said. “A growing China that plays by international rules would be of global interest.”