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China accuses G7 of “slander” and “defame”; These are the terms used by the spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy on Tuesday, April 18. These statements come after the publication of a statement from the richest countries in which they criticize certain political positions of the communist regime.
With Stéphane Lagarde, RFI correspondent in Beijing
Beijing has not digested the G7 statement and, as every time China is attacked, the government accuses critics of interfering in the country’s internal affairs. Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon: “The G7 foreign ministers’ meeting failed to take into account China’s solemn position and objective facts. It has interfered in China’s internal affairs and has maliciously slandered and smeared China. This statement is full of anti-Chinese ulterior motives (…) We have made representations to the Japanese side, which hosts the meeting.”
The G7 communiqué (Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Great Britain, Italy and Japan) touched on points considered sensitive by Beijing. The issues of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and fear of a similar action by China against Taiwan, in particular, were at the center of the meeting, following the recent exercises of the People’s Liberation Army in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese government considers Taiwan a province to be reunified, and therefore dependent on the country’s internal affairs.
“Taiwan is a sacred and inseparable part of Chinese territory, and the one-China principle is the anchor for maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. In order to truly maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait, we must unequivocally oppose any Taiwan independence act,” insisted Wang Wenbin. The same goes for Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet: “China will never allow any outside force to intervene under any name or in any way,” nor with Chinese expansion into the China seas, which neighboring countries view with concern.
Fracture
These kinds of statements increase the rift between Western countries and China, state media said on Tuesday. As in every criticism, Chinese diplomacy also plays the card of “opening” and of the Chinese market, “one of the most dynamic and promising in the world.” “Some members of the G7 disregard the principles of the market economy and fair competition, generalize and abuse the concept of national security, and go to great lengths to unreasonably suppress companies from other countries. They are not in a position to say anything about China,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman added.
