The foreign ministers have expressed growing concern about opposing agendas in the South China Sea. China’s maritime ambitions have led to regional disputes that could boil over into a more overt conflict.
“We are concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, and emphasize the fundamental importance of peaceful management and settlement of disputes,” the G7 diplomats wrote in a joint statement at the end of their two-day meeting in Hiroshima, Japan on Monday.
“We express our strong opposition to any intimidating, coercive or provocative unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tensions”, they added.
Parts of the South China Sea are claimed in turn by Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and the Philippines, but Beijing continues to assert its dominion over almost the whole area. To this end, China has boosted its military presence in the body of water and launched a series of controversial land reclamation projects.
Without mentioning China by name, G7 called on “all states to refrain from such actions as land reclamations,” for example the “building of outposts… for military purposes.” ? (Deutsche Welle)