British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during a press conference following the G7 summit on May 21, 2023 in Hiroshima, Japan. The G7 summit will be held in Hiroshima from 19-22 May.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that China's "means and intent to reshape the world order" makes it the greatest threat to international stability and economic growth of the present era.
The British prime minister said that the leaders of the G7 had shown "unity and resolve" in the face of the challenges presented by Beijing.
Despite France's concerns that the meeting should not be perceived as anti-Beijing, the G7 statement alluded to "de-risking" rather than "de-coupling" from their relationship with China. Still, according to The Guardian, Sunak elaborated on the dangers posed by China beyond what was included in the summit press release, seemingly placing China ahead of Russia as the greatest threat to global security.
Sunak, addressing the issue from a peace center in Hiroshima, Japan, said, "We will work together as the G7 and other countries make sure that we can de-risk ourselves and the vulnerability of supply chains that we have seen from China, take the steps necessary to protect ourselves against hostile investment and do so in a way that doesn't damage each other."
In the Face of Possible Threat
Sunak was also questioned on whether or not the G7 nations had done enough to confront the potential danger posed by China. They released a statement blasting Beijing and pledged to form a new organization to combat "economic coercion" from China and other nations.
In response to Beijing's rising hostility towards Taiwan, however, the countries only said they "strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion," with no further measures taken. Sunak disagreed, arguing that recognition of the structural threat China offers to the global order was a significant step forward. He said China is the only country with the resources and motivation to alter the current international system.
Sunak added that talks had taken place to prevent sensitive security information from leaking to China.
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Urge Against Violence
While the G7 statement portrayed relations with China as a challenge rather than a threat, it did not shy away from using strong language to urge China to refrain from intervention actions and to voice concern about alleged human rights abuses in Tibet and Xinjiang.
Concerns over territorial conflicts in the South China Sea were also expressed, and G7 nations encouraged Beijing to utilize its influence with Russia to get out of Ukraine.
China was very dissatisfied with the G7's joint statement and filed a protest with Japan as the summit's host.
Several Conservative backbenchers, notably former leader Iain Duncan Smith, are vocal opponents of Sunak's China policy and have been putting pressure on No. 10 to act. This week, BBC reported that former prime minister Liz Truss visited Taiwan, urging current leader Sunak to take a harder line with Beijing.
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