China slams G7 for 'interfering' in South China Sea, East China Sea disputes

BEIJING: China on Sunday strongly denounced the just-concluded G7 summit, accusing it of interfering in the East China Sea and South China Sea disputes in the “guise of international law”.

The G7 summit held in Taormina, Italy, ended with a joint communique on Saturday, saying the members are committed to “maintaining a rules-based order in the maritime domain based on the principles of international law”.

The statement expressed concerns about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

China’s position on the East China Sea and South China Sea issues is clear and consistent, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement.

China has been committed to properly handling disputes, cementing cooperation and safeguarding peace and stability of the East China Sea and South China Sea through talks and consultations directly with related parties, he said.