G7 Says China's Actions East of Taiwan Threaten Stability and Shipping

G7 foreign ministers said China's increasingly assertive actions in the waters east of Taiwan threaten regional stability and freedom of navigation, in a joint declaration published late on Wednesday after a meeting in Paris.

The statement is the strongest unified expression of concern to date about Chinese activity off Taiwan's east coast. The United States, Britain, France and Germany had each raised concern on their own before the ministers spoke together.

Patrols stepped up since June

China views Taiwan as its own territory. Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, and China recognises no claims of sovereignty by Taiwan.

China has stepped up activity off the island's east coast since June, with regular coast guard patrols. Officials in Taiwan say they believe China is practising for a potential maritime blockade, using overlapping military, paramilitary and civilian assets.

After the China Coast Guard's latest patrol off the east coast last month, Taiwan said China was harassing shipping and trying to exert a fictional jurisdiction.

The declaration said China's increasingly assertive activities in those waters "threaten regional stability, freedom of navigation and the safety of international shipping". The ministers added: "We reaffirmed our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, particularly by force or coercion, or the threat thereof."

Beijing rejects the statement

China's foreign ministry answered on Thursday. Spokesperson Mao Ning said the statement "disregards objective facts, crudely interferes in China's internal affairs, and maliciously slanders and smears China".

Mao said the statement "once again proves that the G7 is an ideological clique clinging to Cold War mentality and engaging in bloc politics".

On the same day, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged complete reunification of Taiwan with the motherland and pledged to do so peacefully.

Taiwan welcomes the warning

Taiwan's presidential office welcomed the G7 statement. Spokesperson Karen Kuo said peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific are core issues vital to global security and prosperity. Taiwan will strengthen its self-defence capabilities and cooperate with like-minded partners, including G7 states, she said.

The waters at stake matter to Taipei for a practical reason. Taiwan regards the area off its east coast as critical to wartime supply routes from allies in the event of a blockade or conflict.

Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Tuesday that China is carrying out area denial drills in the Western Pacific, involving one of its aircraft carriers and other naval formations, after a reported rise in Chinese activities. China's military operates around Taiwan on a daily basis.