Will China launch a full-scale invasion of Taiwan by the following years?
MetaculusNOV 18 2024
China Rebukes G7 Over Latest Joint Statements
Above: EU's Kaja Kallas, Japan's Takeshi Iwaya, UK's David Lammy, France's Jean-Noel Barrot, Canada's Melanie Joly, US' Marco Rubio, Germany's Annalena Baerbock, and Italy's Antonio Tajani at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Canada, on March 13, 2025. Image copyright: Renaud Philippe/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Facts
A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry told a press conference on Monday that the Joint Statement of the Group of 7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and their Declaration on Maritime Security and Prosperity deliberately seeks to vilify Beijing and interfere in its internal affairs.
Earlier, the Chinese embassy in Canada, where the two-day meeting was held last week, said that G7 members were "filled with arrogance, prejudice and malice to suppress and attack" the country, adding that solemn representations were lodged with the Canadian side.
In the joint statement, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US, and the High Representative of the EU expressed concerns over Chinese actions in the East China Sea and South China Sea, omitting conciliatory references from past statements, including to the "one China" policy.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
These accusations mischaracterize facts and truth to meddle in China's internal affairs. Taiwan is a purely internal issue, and the situation in the South China Sea remains stable with freedom of navigation never being an issue. It's about time for the G7 nations to abandon their Cold War mentality and stop creating confrontation and division.
Anti-China narrative
Stronger language and the omission of conciliatory references such as to the "one China" policy represent a strategic shift to counter Beijing's increasing military aggression and coercive actions. A firmer stance against China was much needed. The PRC poses serious threats to regional stability and international order.