G7 meeting in Japan

Illustration image. Chen Zhonghao / AP  

 

China hits back at G7: Smearing and attacking  

 

The G7 countries' harsh tone against China has not gone down well with Beijing, which in a statement accused the G7 countries of "throwing dirt and attacking" China, reports the Financial Times.  

 

"The G7 insists on manipulating China-related issues," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.  

 

China's has been heavily criticized by during the summit. Among other things, for their growing nuclear arsenal, the actions in the Taiwan Strait and the rearmament in the South China Sea. 

 

Macron and Biden at the G7 meeting. Stefan Rousseau / AP 

 

Uniquely tough tone against China as G7 leaders gather  

The G7 leaders' tone towards China is unprecedented, writes the Financial Times after the joint statement on Saturday.  

 

The member countries criticized everything from China's rearmament in the South China Sea to the country's actions in the Taiwan Strait. 

 

 "We strongly oppose any attempt to change the situation by aggression or force," they wrote of Taiwan.  

They also urged the country to put pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. At the same time, it opened up for cooperation with Beijing and stated that it does not want to stand in the way of China's economic development.