China hits back at G7, urges bloc to 'stop stirring up disputes, undermining regional peace'

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - China on Thursday rejected accusations by the foreign ministers of the G7 countries, calling on the bloc to "stop stirring up disputes, heightening tensions, and undermining regional peace under the pretext of maritime issues."

"The situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea remains generally stable," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing, according to the state-run Global Times.

He said the G7 remarks on China "once again ignored facts, distorted right and wrong, and deliberately smeared China while grossly interfering in China's internal affairs."

"China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes it," Lin said.

The top diplomats of the G7 countries on Wednesday expressed concern over China’s military buildup and a “rapid increase” in its nuclear arsenal.

The top diplomats – from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, the US, and EU – urged Beijing to “demonstrate its commitment to stability through improved transparency,” according to a joint statement issued after a meeting in Ontario, Canada.

“We reaffirmed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law,” the statement said, adding that the foreign ministers expressed “strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in particular by force or coercion, including in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.”

Emphasizing “the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the group also opposed “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, particularly by force or coercion,” and called for the “peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues through constructive dialogue.”

They further expressed support for “Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.”

On the Ukraine war, spokesman Lin said China has been "open and aboveboard regarding" the crisis.

Beijing has "never provided lethal weapons to any party in the conflict, strictly controls dual-use items, and will never accept the G7's attempts to shift blame or label China," said the ministry spokesman.

He also stressed: "The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair for China, and how it is resolved is a matter for the Chinese people alone, brooking no external interference."

The G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, and the EU foreign policy chief met on Tuesday and Wednesday.