G7 statement shows its ideological bias: China Daily editorial

In their meeting in Charlevoix, Canada, on Friday, the G7 foreign ministers released a joint statement, in which they again bad-mouthed China on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, South China Sea issue, and the Taiwan question, as well as nuclear weapons.

They falsely labeled China as an "enabler" of Russia's military operations in Ukraine and the reconstruction of Russia's armed forces, willfully distorting the truth of the matter. China has never got involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, except as a promoter of peace talks. It has never provided weapons or any military-related products to either side. It is G7 countries that have been adding fuel to the flames of hostilities by providing a steady stream of ever more sophisticated weapons and other assistance to Ukraine and imposing ever tougher sanctions on Russia.

As parties deeply involved in the conflict, they are not in a position to point an accusing finger at China on this issue.

China has done what it can to bring the two parties to the negotiating table and has constantly maintained that the conflict should be settled once and for all through talks.

On the issue of the South China Sea, the G7 foreign ministers accused China of using "force and coercion" to change the status quo, and said that they were concerned about China's "dangerous maneuvers" and "use of water cannons" against Philippine and Vietnamese vessels. Again they have distorted the facts. China has never done anything to change the status quo by force or coercion. It is some regional parties that have been trying to change the status quo with the overt support of some of the G7 countries. Due to the continual provocations China has been left with no alternative but to firmly respond. At the same time, China has continually called on relevant parties to settle the territorial disputes through talks and to shelve their differences for joint development of the waters.

What is totally unacceptable is that the G7 foreign ministers talked about the Taiwan question in the joint statement by emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Despite it being China's internal affair, they reiterated their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion while turning a blind eye to the increasingly provocative moves of the secessionists on the island.

No party is more concerned about the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait than the Chinese mainland. Beijing has reiterated time and again that it will try its best to realize the reunification of the island with its motherland through peaceful means. But that does not preclude the alternative of taking back the island by force.

It is the secessionists on the island — especially its leaders from the Democratic Progressive Party, who are attempting to promote the impression of the island's "independent status" — who have recklessly increased cross-Strait tensions. It is their refusal to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus that both sides of the strait belong to one China and the one-China principle that has established barriers for the island to participate in relevant international organizations.

It is also ridiculous for the G7 foreign ministers to express their concern over China's military build-up and modernizing of its nuclear arsenal. The nuclear powers among the G7 countries have a significantly greater number of nuclear warheads than China has, whose nuclear arsenal is at the level to meet the needs of defense. Unlike the G7, China also has a clear no first-use stance.

It is the G7 countries that have sabotaged nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament efforts. They are not in a position to dictate to other countries what to do when it comes to nuclear arms control.

The G7 foreign ministers even accused China of "nonmarket policies" and practices that are leading to overcapacity and market distortions. This is absurd. It is the sanctions of the G7 countries and their imposition of unilateral tariffs that have disrupted international supply chains and trade rules. It is they that have launched trade wars and exercised unilateralism and trade protectionism, yet they seek to shift the blame onto China.

The G7 countries should reflect on what they have done and are doing to create so much trouble in the world, rather than looking at the world through the prism of ideological bias.