UPDATE - G-7 says it's committed to intensifying sanctions against Russia over Ukraine war

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS FROM JOINT STATEMENT, CHINA REACTION, CHANGES DECK

By Betul Yuruk and Riyaz ul Khaliq

NEW YORK / ISTANBUL (AA) – The Group of Seven (G-7) wealthy nations pledged more sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine following a meeting of foreign ministers in Japan on Tuesday.

"We remain committed to intensifying sanctions against Russia, coordinating and fully enforcing them," the G-7 ministers said in a statement.

"There can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities such as Russia's attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure," they added.

Japan, current chair of G-7, hosted the summit since Sunday in resort town of Karuizawa, in central Japan.

G-7 foreign ministers, from Japan, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the US, plus the EU emphasized “there is no change in the basic positions of the G-7 members on Taiwan.”

Declaring peace and stability around Taiwan as “indispensable element” of global security, they also called on China to “behave responsibly as a member of the international community,” Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported, citing the joint communique released at the end of three-day summit of G-7 Foreign Ministers.

The statement have Beijing lodge a protest with Tokyo.

"China strongly opposes and lodged a stern demarche to the hosting country of G7 foreign ministers meeting as the so-called joint communique is full of arrogance, bias and malicious anti-China sentiment," Wang Wenbin, spokesman of China's Foreign Ministry told a news conference in Beijing Tuesday.

A summit of the leaders of G-7 nations is scheduled to take place in western Hiroshima city, site of the world's first nuclear attack, next month, between May 19 to 21.

"We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion," the G-7 foreign ministers said, referring to Taiwan Strait.

"We will call on China to act as a responsible member of the international community, while being prepared to build constructive and stable relations with China through dialogue," Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi later told a news conference.