(TibetanReview.net, Nov27’24) –While the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers held in Fiuggi, Italy, over Nov 24-27 focused heavily on the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, including Russia’s recent use of North Korean troops, it also dealt a fair bit with China as well, including its human rights record, according to the meeting’s final communiqué. In particular, US secretary of state Antony Blinken cited Beijing’s economic policies, human rights record and support for Russia in the war against Ukraine, noted the scmp.com Nov 27.
The communiqué has called on Beijing to address the human rights situation in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang, avoid actions that undermine democratic institutions abroad and avoid imposing export control measures, particularly on critical minerals, that could lead to “significant supply chain disruptions”.
While expressing continued support for the one-China policy, the communiqué has also called for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and East and South China Seas, opposed any unilateral change in the status quo. It has reiterated “opposition to China’s militarisation and coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea.”
Referring to China’s concern that a Nato-like collective security organisation could eventually form in the Indo-Pacific, Blinken has said the logic of a collective response to China’s aggressiveness was strong. When the US tries to act alone, he has said, it represents around one-fifth of global GDP. But when it works with its G7 partners – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK – it is close to 50%, he has said.
Blinken has emphasized that it was also crucial to work with China where interests converged. And he has called on Beijing to intercede with Russia and North Korea in a bid to bring a resolution to the war, which has surpassed 1,000 days.
If Russian nuclear technology ends up greatly increasing Pyongyang’s own nuclear capability, it could spark a nuclear arms race in the region and a stronger US presence, which China would not like, he has said.
“These are undoubtedly steps that, while not directed at China, China will not like,” he has added.
Referring to the importance of the role of the G7 industrialised nations in addressing global concerns in general and especially in countering an unruly China, Blinken has said, “The bottom line is this: We are much stronger, we’re much more effective, when we’re acting together, not alone.”
He has exemplified this by referring to China, saying, “And just to cite the obvious example in the economic area when we’re dealing with policies of concern by China, any of our countries acting alone compared to when we’re acting together simply cannot be as effective.”