The Communiqué issued on June 28 after the 48th G7 Summit mentioned “China” as many as 14 times, with the focus on Beijing’s policies with regards to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, human rights, the East China Sea, the South China Sea as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. During a press briefing on June 29, Zhao Lijian, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, said the western Alliance was stoking divisions, discrimination, and hatred in internationally difficult times. Instead of cooperation, the G-7 Grouping is more intent on defaming China and its allies, Zhao responded in the following way to the references to China in the G-7 communique:
Despite China’s solemn position and firm opposition, the G7 used the Leaders’ Communiqué to peddle the “democracy versus authoritarianism” narrative, interfere in China’s internal affairs, attack and smear China, and incite confrontational sentiments. This shows that the G7 has no intention of having dialogue and cooperation based on equality and mutual respect, that the G7 remains entrenched in its Cold War mentality and ideological bias, and that the G7 prefers bloc politics that serve the group’s interests.
We urge the G7 to earnestly step up to its responsibility and due international obligations, uphold true multilateralism, stop applying double or even multiple standards, stop causing confrontation and division, stop discrediting and slandering China, and stop all forms of meddling in China’s domestic affairs.
At a critical juncture in the global pandemic response and economic recovery, Zhao said, the G7 countries are preoccupied with stoking division and confrontation. They have demonstrated “absolutely no sense of responsibility or moral authority.”
“I must also point out that for a group which accounts for about one-tenth only of the world’s population, the G7 has no authority to speak for the whole world, still less to present its values and standards as universal values and standards,” said the spokesperson in what came across as one of the strongest rebukes to the G-7 countries.
