G7 leaders urged China on Tuesday to uphold the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes by pressing Russia to stop its invasion of Ukraine and dropping its “expansive maritime claims” in the South China Sea. “We stress that there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea,” it said. The G7 leaders said they were “gravely concerned” about the human rights situation in China, including forced labour in Tibet and Xinjiang. China should also honour its commitments to uphold rights, freedom, and a high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong, they said. In unprecedented language, the G7 leaders also highlighted Chinese non-market policies which, they said, distorted the global economy, and they committed to working together to ensure a level playing field for their businesses and workers.

Source: Nigerian Tribune June 28, 2022 17:10 UTC