G7 pledges unity in conflicts
KARUIZAWA, Japan — Top diplomats from the Group of Seven wealthy democracies vowed a unified front against Chinese threats to Taiwan and Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, saying at the close of their meetings Tuesday that they were committed to boosting and enforcing tough sanctions against Moscow.
The G-7 communique laying out their commitments also included strong words over an unprecedented run of North Korean missile tests. But it was China’s growing assertiveness in Asia and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that highlighted the three-day summit hosted by Japan.
“There can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities such as Russia’s attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure,” the ministers said.
“We remain committed to intensifying sanctions against Russia, coordinating and fully enforcing them,” the communique said, and would support “for as long as it takes.”
The foreign ministers’ communique was prepared as a template for global leaders to use at a G-7 summit that will be held in Hiroshima next month, and included language about Iran, Myanmar, Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation and other “grave threats.”
But two crises stood out: China’s increasing threats against, and military maneuvers around, Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that Beijing claims as its own, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s current offensive is largely stalled and Ukraine is preparing a counteroffensive, but there’s widespread global worry about the Russian leader’s repeated threats to use tactical nuclear weapons.
“Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and its threats to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus are unacceptable,” the ministers said.
The G-7 envoys from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and the European Union have underlined that their meeting in Karuizawa marks a crucial moment in the world’s response to Russian and Chinese aggression, two crises that are seen as challenges to the post-World War II rulesbased international order. Global efforts to confront the matters at the United Nations have been stymied by Chinese and Russian intransigence on the Security Council.
Leaders and foreign ministers of G-7 countries, most recently France and Germany, have recently concluded visits to China, and there is growing worry after China recently sent planes and ships to simulate an encirclement of Taiwan. Beijing has also been rapidly adding nuclear warheads, taking a tougher line on its claim to the South China Sea and painting a scenario of impending confrontation.
The G-7 ministers said that peace and stability between China and Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait is “an indispensable element in security and prosperity in the international community,” and they called for “the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.”
On Taiwan, “there is clear unanimity in the approach we are taking,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters of his talks with other ministers in Karuizawa.
“What I heard was a remarkable convergence on concerns related to (China) and what we’re doing to address those concerns,” he said.
On stalled discussions with the Chinese, Blinken said the United States placed a premium on keeping communications channels open as President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to last year.
He said the communique “is full of arrogance, prejudice and sinister intentions against China. We strongly oppose and deplore this and have lodged solemn complaints with the Japanese side, the host country of the meeting.”