“China is the biggest challenge to global security and prosperity, but the other leading economies should not completely cut off their relations with Beijing“, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said yesterday after the meeting of the leaders of the G7 countries, “Reuters” reported
“China is the biggest challenge to world security and prosperity in our time. They are increasingly authoritarian at home and increasingly active abroad,” Sunak told reporters after the meeting in the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
Sunak pointed out that Britain and the rest of the G7 countries will adopt a common approach to reduce the risks in relation to China.
“It’s about reducing the risks, not about breaking up,” explained the British prime minister.
Together with the rest of the G7 countries, “we are taking steps to prevent China from using economic coercion to interfere in the sovereign affairs of others,” Sunak added.
Sunak also said that Britain will start training Ukrainian pilots this summer.
The British Prime Minister emphasized that no one wants peace as much as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but the terms of peace must be based on the principles of Ukraine.
Politico reports that G7 leaders issued a strong statement to Beijing, agreeing to diversify sources of critical minerals and create a new coordination platform to counter economic coercion. They have condemned attempts to change the status quo in the South China Sea.
This provoked a critical reaction from the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, who accused the G7 countries of interfering in China‘s internal affairs. The Chinese embassy in Great Britain also asked London yesterday to stop slandering and defaming China in order not to further damage bilateral relations, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
“The relevant remarks from the British side are simply parroting the words of others and amount to malicious slander ignoring the facts. China strongly opposes this and strongly condemns it,” the embassy statement said.