China Lambasts G7 Joint Statement On Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan And Coronavirus, Says 'Small' Groups Don't Rule The World

Responding to criticism by Group of Seven (G7) leaders over human-rights abuses in Xinjiang, ongoing crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong and calls for a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, China slammed the group saying that it ‘deliberately slandered’ the country and was indulging in ‘political manipulation’

The G7 summit, which ended on Sunday, issued a communiqué criticising China on Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The G7 leaders urged Beijing “to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially in relation to Xinjiang and those rights, freedoms and high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law”.

The G7 nations also called for “a timely, transparent, expert-led and science-based WHO-convened phase 2 Covid-19 origins study including, as recommended by the experts’ report, in China”.

The communiqué also flagged the issue of "forced labor" and "unilateral attempts to change the status quo" in the East and South China Seas.

The G7 had earlier unveiled a global infrastructure plan called “Build Back Better World (B3W) to counter Beijing's multi-trillion-dollar Belt And Road Initiative(BRI).

China's embassy in London said it was strongly dissatisfied with the join statement and resolutely opposed to mentions of Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan that distorted the facts and exposed the "sinister intentions of a few countries such as the United States".

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging and global economy sluggish, the international community needs unity and cooperation of all countries rather than "cliquey" power politics sowing division, it added.