China on Tuesday slammed the Group of Seven (G-7) nations for making “irresponsible remarks” about Beijing’s disputed territorial claims in the East and South China Seas.
In a statement at the end of a summit in Germany on Monday, G-7 leaders expressed concern about Asian maritime tensions and called on all sides to respect international law.
“We strongly oppose the use of intimidation, coercion or force, as well as any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo, such as large-scale land reclamation,” the G-7 statement said.
The comments were seen as a criticism of China’s efforts to create artificial islands to enforce its claims in the South China Sea.
China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the G-7 statement as being “far from the facts.”
China has been reclaiming land and building airstrips and infrastructure in the Spratly islands, which are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The area is rich in natural resources and is a main trade route.