G7 Seeks Positive China Relations, Criticizes Rights Record

The Group of Seven (G7) has called for constructive ties with China while also addressing Beijing’s rights record and territorial claims. In their communique, the G7 leaders emphasised the importance of cooperation in areas like climate change, but also pushed back against China’s increasingly assertive posture. The leaders recognised the need for economic resilience through “de-risking and diversifying” but stated that their policy approaches are not designed to harm China. The G7 expressed concerns about Beijing’s claims in the East and South China Seas, as well as its crackdowns on freedoms in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang. The leaders also called on China to press Russia to end its war in Ukraine and for the peaceful resolution of tensions over Taiwan. The G7’s approach was described as balanced, with a focus on de-risking rather than decoupling from China. However, China’s foreign ministry rejected the statement as interference in its internal affairs. The G7 leaders also launched a “Coordination Platform on Economic Coercion” to respond to economic coercion.