Beijing denounces Japan, UK and ‘anti-China’ G7 summit | World News

On Monday, the Global Times, a Chinese state-backed mouthpiece, called the G7 an “anti-China seminar” after Beijing summoned the Japanese envoy and rebuked Britain in a furious response to a statement at the weekend’s G7 summit in Hiroshima.

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A joint communiqué on Saturday specifically targeted China on a range of issues from Taiwan and maritime claims to economic coercion and human rights, underscoring tensions between Beijing and a bloc of wealthy countries including the United States.

The Global Times said in an editorial on Monday titled “The G7 has been reduced to an anti-China seminar,” that “the United States is trying to weave an anti-China network in the Western world.”

“This is not only a matter of grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs and discrediting China, but also a naked camp confrontation.”

Beijing’s foreign ministry said it firmly opposed the G7 statement and said later on Sunday it had summoned Japan’s ambassador to China as part of a protest against the summit host.

Russia, a close ally of China, was also named in the G7 statement for invading Ukraine, calling the summit an “incubator” for anti-Russian and anti-China hysteria.

Separately, China’s embassy in Britain urged London on Sunday to stop smearing China after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Beijing was the world’s biggest challenge to security and prosperity.

Despite Beijing’s sharp response, U.S. President Joe Biden said he expected a thaw in frosty relations with China “soon”. The Group of Seven (G7) also includes Canada, France, Germany and Italy.

Japan’s strong opposition

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong summoned the Japanese ambassador to protest “hype surrounding China-related issues,” according to a statement late Sunday.

Sun said that Japan colluded with other countries at the G7 summit, “in activities and joint statements… to smear and attack China, grossly interfere in China’s internal affairs, and violate the basic principles of international law and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, ” refers to the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement.

He said that Japan’s actions have damaged China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and China is “strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed” to this.

The Japanese side should correct its understanding of China, grasp its strategic autonomy, adhere to the principles of the four political documents between China and Japan, and effectively promote the stable development of bilateral relations with a constructive attitude.

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Japan’s ambassador to China, Hideo Tatsumi, countered that it was “natural” for the G7 to mention issues of mutual concern as it has done in the past, and that it would continue to do so in the future as long as China did not change its behaviour, according to the reading.

“If China asks not to mention these issues, China should first take active measures to resolve them,” Chui Hai reportedly told Sun.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference on Monday morning that Japan’s policy toward China has been consistent, namely sticking to what is necessary and urging responsible behavior while taking steps to address concerns and cooperate on common issues.