Webdesk: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has claimed that China is the biggest security concern. As well as far greater than Russia following the Ukraine war.
In Hiroshima, PM Sunak remarked, “China is challenging global security and prosperity of our age. With the means and intent to reshape the world order.”
The UK PM believed that G7 leaders from Japan, the US, Canada, and Europe showed “unity” in facing Beijing.
French warnings that the G7 gathering should not perceived as anti-Beijing. But the communique focused on managing risk rather than “de-coupling” from China.
“We will work together as the G7 and other countries to make sure that we can de-risk ourselves. As well as the vulnerability of supply chains that we have seen from China. We will take the steps necessary to protect ourselves against hostile investment. We will do so in a way that doesn’t damage each other,” said Rishi Sunak.
The G7 declaration also called for a new entity to confront Beijing’s economic coercion. It said the nations “strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion,” referring to Taiwan.
“Just recognising the systemic challenge that China poses to the world order — it is the only country with both the means and intent to reshape the world order” was the G7’s response to a query about how much it has done to resist Beijing.
“There had also been conversations about ensuring that important technology pertinent to our security does not leak to China,” he added.
Warned China
The statement released Friday following the three-day conference in Hiroshima described relations with Beijing as a challenge rather than a threat but warned China not to intervene in “activities”.
The G7 countries—Japan, Canada, the US, the UK, Italy, Germany, and France—were “gravely concerned” about territorial conflicts in the South China Sea and encouraged Beijing to use its influence with Russia to withdraw from Ukraine.
China expressed “strong dissatisfaction” with the G7 declaration and complained to Japan.
Conservatives are China sceptics. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss visited Taiwan this week and advised the current PM to be tougher on Beijing.
