TAIPEI, Taiwan — China’s government has vehemently denied accusations from the Group of 7 (G7) industrialized nations regarding its actions in maritime territories, labeling the collective as “arrogant, prejudiced, and ill-intentioned.” This backlash was prompted by a recent statement from the G7, mirroring the typically sharp language of Chinese diplomacy, yet without promising any specific countermeasures.
The G7’s Lament, issued on Friday, specifically criticized China’s “illegal, provocative, coercive, and perilous maneuvers that seek to change the status quo, risking regional stability—particularly through land reclamation and the construction of militarized outposts.” The G7 emphasized the need for lasting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, a critical channel between China and Taiwan, the latter being an autonomous island that China claims as its territory.
China, in its rebuttal shared through its embassy in Canada, criticized the G7 communiqué as repetitive, dismissive of facts, and as a gross interference in China’s domestic matters. This response was issued during the G7 summit in La Malbaie, Quebec. Displaying strong opposition, China posited that the G7 statements slander China with the intention of oppressing it.
China lays claim to nearly the entirety of the South China Sea, a region crucial for global commerce worth approximately $5 trillion. Over the years, China has shown little tolerance for competing claims from nations such as the Philippines. The Chinese government assiduously monitors international statements about its status, often responding robustly to what it perceives as challenges to its authority.
Beijing has firmly denounced a U.N.-affiliated court decision rejecting most of its South China Sea claims and maintains that Taiwan is an indisputable part of its territory, implying potential military action to assert control. Routine military exercises near Taiwan and the fortification of man-made islands underscore China’s assertive stance in the South China Sea. Recently, unnotified live-fire drills were spontaneously executed in the Tasman Sea, necessitating adjustments to commercial airline routes.
Despite the recent military exercise receiving a mere 30-minute notice—not from Chinese authorities but from a pilot in the vicinity—prompting a diversion of 49 flights, the G7 did not address this incident directly. However, the G7 expressed increasing concern over attempts to constrain freedom of navigation and expand territorial claims through force across regions including the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
China’s rapid military expansion is marked by possession of the world’s largest navy, including three operational aircraft carriers and a fourth in production, and a strategically placed base in Djibouti on Africa’s eastern coast. These developments highlight its rising maritime influence, extending even to the Red Sea and the Black Sea, challenging international norms and catalyzing global scrutiny.