China Slams G7 on Maritime Disputes

"China is strongly dissatisfied with relevant moves taken by G-7," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

His statement added: “We urge the Group of Seven member states to honor their commitment of not taking sides on issues involving territorial disputes and respect the efforts by regional countries, stop all irresponsible words and actions, and make constructive contribution to regional peace and stability. The G-7 should have focused on righting a sluggish global economy "instead of hyping up maritime issues and fuelling tensions in the region."

A two-day meeting of G7 foreign ministers -- a grouping that excludes China -- in the Japanese city of Hiroshima issued a joint statement saying: "We are concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, and emphasise the fundamental importance of peaceful management and settlement of disputes.

"We express our strong opposition to any intimidating, coercive or provocative unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tensions."

The G7 statement did not explicitly name China, but Beijing lays claim to almost all of the South China Sea despite conflicting partial claims from Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.

The Nikkei Shimbun newspaper in Japan said the document targeted China, while Japanese broadcaster NHK said the statement showed the G7 nations’ concern over China’s actions in the South China Sea.

Xinhua said the maritime statement was the result of “consistent efforts of the Japanese government to unilaterally hype up” the South China Sea issue, despite none of the G-7 ministers being party to the dispute.

While Beijing has claimed that Tokyo overplayed its hand at the G-7 meeting, the push by Japan appears to have helped bolster the position of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration.