The Group of Seven (G7) Foreign Ministers have issued a communiqué criticizing China for the first time for violating human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and strongly opposing any unilateral action by China that could raise regional tensions and undermine regional stability.
The G7 foreign ministers issued a communiqué after their meeting in London on May 5, criticizing China for the first time on trade, cybersecurity, human rights and other issues, and expressing serious concern about the situation in Taiwan, the East China Sea and the South China Sea in a rare move. The communiqué did not name China, but stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.
In response to the communiqué issued by the G-7, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on June 6, “The G-7 has made unsubstantiated accusations against China, blatantly interfered in China’s internal affairs and engaged in bloc politics that drive backwards in history, which is a brutal interference in China’s sovereignty. China strongly condemns this.”
For his part, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Beijing should reflect on itself, understand the views gathered at the G-7 meeting and understand the need to follow basic international rules instead of resorting to anger every time.
Discussions at the three-day G-7 foreign ministers’ summit focused on how the group could forge a broader coalition to counter the rise of authoritarian regimes led by China and Russia. To demonstrate that the West can act in concert, a communiqué of more than 12,400 words was issued after the meeting, covering Russia, Ukraine, China, the Indo-Pacific region, North Korea, and the East and South China Seas.
First, the communiqué began by encouraging China, as a world power with advanced technological capabilities and economies, to participate constructively in a global system based on the rule of law; it called on China to act on global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and post-epidemic economic reconstruction. The communiqué stated that this is not only in the interests of the G7, but also, I believe, in the interests of China, and look forward to the opportunity to work with China to promote regional and global peace, security and prosperity.
Second, on the issue of human rights, it called on China to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and expressed serious concern about the treatment of Xinjiang and Tibet, especially the Uighurs, as well as the so-called political re-education camps and forced labor, and supported an independent investigation of Xinjiang by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Third, on the issue of Hong Kong and “one country, two systems,” the communiqué reiterated the position of the G-7 in its March 12 joint statement on the Hong Kong elections, expressing grave concern over Beijing’s revision of Hong Kong’s electoral laws and calling on China to respect its international commitments and legal responsibilities, including the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law; and calling on China to respect Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, rights and freedoms. The communiqué also urges the HKSAR government to stop sniping at those defending democratic values, to uphold judicial independence, and to ensure that cases from judicial hearings in Hong Kong are not sent to China.
Fourth, the G-7 is seriously concerned about China’s actions that undermine free and fair trade and commerce, and will cooperate to improve global economic resilience in response to China’s arbitrary and coercive economic policies and actions; and urges China to assume and fulfill its obligations and responsibilities commensurate with its global economic role.
Fifth, China is encouraged to uphold its commitment to maintain cyber peace and avoid infringing on cyber intellectual property rights.
Sixth, support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Health Assembly (WHA); the international community should be able to benefit from the experience of all partners, including Taiwan’s successful contribution to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The seven foreign ministers also paid serious attention to the situation in the East and South China Seas, stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues. The communiqué reiterated their firm opposition to any one-sided action that could increase regional tensions and undermine regional stability.
While the G-7 communiqué contains strong language about China and Russia, it does not propose specific actions, although it does promise to address the issue of forced labor in Xinjiang through measures available in their respective countries, which may include raising public awareness of these practices and corporate legal literacy, rather than through collective action.
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