UK Prime Minister: "Increasingly Aggressive China, the Greatest Challenge of Our Time"

Canadian Prime Minister "China Must Raise Environmental and Labor Standards"
Australia Joins Criticism

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who attended the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan, stated on the 21st that "China is the greatest challenge to global security and prosperity in our time."

British broadcaster BBC and major foreign media reported that Prime Minister Sunak said on the day, "China is increasingly becoming authoritarian domestically and assertive internationally."

He said that the G7 is showing solidarity against China, adding, "This is not about decoupling (excluding or separating a specific country) but about de-risking (risk mitigation). Together with the G7, we are taking measures to prevent China from using economic coercion to interfere in the sovereignty issues of other countries."

The G7 leaders gathered in Japan emphasized the need to build constructive and stable relations through dialogue with China and to cooperate in addressing international challenges, while also forming a united front to check China's 'threats.'

Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan, explained at the chair country’s press conference the previous day, "The G7 expressed serious concerns about the situation in the East and South China Seas, agreed to oppose unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and coercion, reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-strait (China and Taiwan) issues."

Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. [Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

The joint statement released at the G7 summit the previous day also devoted a significant portion to China, which was interpreted as a comprehensive effort to check China across security, economy, and human rights.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately responded, "Despite China's serious concerns, the G7 arbitrarily handled China-related agendas, smeared and attacked China, and violently interfered in China's internal affairs," but criticism of China continued at the Hiroshima summit venue on the same day.

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, said, "If China raises standards on the environment, labor conditions, and human rights, it will benefit everyone."

Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, who attended the G7 summit as an observer country, mentioned incidents such as a Chinese fighter jet approaching an Australian patrol aircraft over the South China Sea in May last year and the detention of Chinese-Australian journalist Cheng Lei, saying that he has been concerned about China's security and economic actions "for some time," according to the BBC.

BBC explained that while G7 countries confront China on various issues including human rights, they are also concerned about being held 'hostage' due to the already inseparable high level of trade dependence on China.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.