China has accused the G7 of political interference and slander after the Group of Seven leaders released their final communique and called on Beijing to respect human rights.
The communique detailed plans for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus in China and raised concerns over abuses against ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region and pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. The group also voiced concerns over ‘the use of all forms of forced labour in global supply chains, including state-sponsored forced labour of vulnerable groups and minorities, including in the agricultural, solar, and garment sectors’.
U.S. President Joe Biden has repeatedly spoken out against China’s ‘economic abuses’ and human rights violations and urged other G7 members to take a similar stance, calling on China to ‘start acting more responsibly in terms of international norms on human rights.’ However, the Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom hit back on Monday, accusing the G7 of ‘interfering’ by publishing ‘distorted’ remarks and ‘deliberately slandering China’.
The embassy spokesperson mentioned that the G7 Summit Communiqué published distorted and reversed remarks on Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other issues, deliberately slandered China, and arbitrarily interfered in China’s internal affairs, labeling it as a violation of the basic norms of international relations. Responding to concerns raised over potential human rights violations in Xinjiang, China called the scrutiny ‘lies, rumours, and baseless accusations’.
The embassy stated that Xinjiang-related issues are not human rights, ethnic, or religious issues but rather anti-violence, anti-separatism, and de-radicalization issues. The G7 was accused of using Xinjiang-related issues for political manipulation and interference in China’s internal affairs. Instead, the statement by China highlighted the government’s efforts to protect the human rights and freedoms of all ethnic groups and described the people of Xinjiang as ‘stable, ethnically united’ and able to ‘live and work in peace’ as proof of government success in the region.
Overall, China’s response reflects a strong defense against the allegations of human rights violations and politicized investigations raised by the G7 leaders, showcasing a firm stance on maintaining national sovereignty and interests amidst international scrutiny.
