China urges G7 to cease all attacks, smears against country

BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday urged the Group of Seven (G7) to stop attacking and smearing it, and to cease all forms of meddling in China's internal affairs, following a recent statement issued at a G7 summit making wanton accusations on China-related issues.

Noting that the G7 statement hyped up the "democracy versus autocracy" narrative and instigated confrontation, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said this fully proves that the G7 has no intention of conducting dialogue and cooperation on the basis of equality and respect. Rather, he said, they are sticking to the Cold War mentality and ideological bias, resorting to bloc politics based on the interests of their "small cliques."

Concerning Hong Kong affairs, Zhao said that, since Hong Kong returned to the motherland, the democratic rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents according to the law have been fully guaranteed. The Chinese government has governed Hong Kong in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR.

"Stained all-over as they are, these countries are in no position to be a 'lecturer' on human rights issues, and still less are they entitled to use human rights as a political tool to interfere in other countries' internal affairs," he added.

Speaking at a daily press briefing, Zhao said that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and certain countries' attempt to "use Taiwan to contain China" are the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, he said.

"China has the right to take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security," Zhao added.

The spokesperson said China has always diligently followed the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, standing as a staunch defender of world peace and development, as well as regional security and stability, in stark contrast to the United States, which has waged warfare all over the world and frequently resorted to unilateral sanctions.

Regarding the G7, which has gained the most development dividends from globalization, Zhao said they should have shouldered special responsibilities for promoting globalization and world economic growth, as well as settling global economic difficulties. However, at this crucial juncture of COVID-19 response and economic recovery, they are bent on creating division and confrontation.

"What I have to point out is that the population of G7 countries accounts for only around one 10th of the global total. They are in no position to represent the whole world, and still less are entitled to take their own values and standards as internationally universal," said Zhao.

China urges the G7 to earnestly shoulder its due responsibilities, implement its due international obligations and safeguard true multilateralism, Zhao added.