Berk Kutay Gokmen
March 17, 2025•Update: March 17, 2025
ISTANBUL
China on Monday dismissed a recent statement by the G7 foreign ministers, saying that it “vilifies” Beijing and “interferes” in its internal affairs.
“The joint statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting and their declaration are a deliberate mischaracterization of the facts and truth, which seek to vilify China and interfere in China’s internal affairs,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a press conference.
“We strongly deplore and firmly reject that and have lodged serious protests with relevant countries,” she said.
The spokeswoman’s remarks came in response to the joint statement issued after the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, which took place in Charlevoix, Quebec, from March 12-14. The gathering included the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, along with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
The statement expressed concerns for “China’s military build-up and the continued, rapid increase in China’s nuclear weapons arsenal,” urging China not to engage in or support activities that threaten the “security and safety” of G7 nations.
It also expressed concerns “over the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine and Vietnamese vessels,” as well as opposing “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion,” regarding Taiwan.
In response to the statement, Mao said that the situation in Taiwan “brooks no external interference,” and the state of the South China Sea is “generally stable.”
Noting that China’s military spending aims to protect its “national security,” the spokeswoman underscored that Beijing “keeps its nuclear strength at the minimum level.”
“The G7 says nothing about the US’s responsibility in disarmament and the risks of nuclear proliferation posed by AUKUS, and chooses to direct the issue at China instead.”
Aukus is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
“The G7 should stop politicizing and weaponizing trade and economic ties and stop undermining the international economic order and destabilizing global industrial and supply chains,” she added.
