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HomeDiplomacyPM Modi, G7 & Quad outline strong stance against China. Beijing lodges...

PM Modi, G7 & Quad outline strong stance against China. Beijing lodges ‘stern representations’

At G7 meet PM Narendra Modi spoke against 'unilateral attempt to change status quo' & released statement with Quad nations seeking an Indo-Pacific region free of 'coercion' from any country.

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New Delhi: Ahead of his departure for Japan for the G7 summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid out a clear stance on the future of Indo-Chinese relations stating, “peace and tranquility in the border areas are essential for normal bilateral ties with China.” He further emphasised Friday that “India is fully prepared and committed to protect its sovereignty and dignity,” in an interview with news portal Nikkei Asia.

Later, during the working session 9 of the G7 summit, the PM remarked that, “it is necessary for all countries to respect the UN Charter, international law, and sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. Raise your voice against unilateral attempts to change the status quo.”

The prime minister’s clear stance on China comes amid the strained bilateral ties following the standoff in Ladakh.

After PM Modi’s statements, the G7 and Quad leaders also made statements on China Saturday. Taking a strong exception to these statements, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that it has “lodged stern representations to G7 summit host Japan and other relevant parties”, as quoted by CGTN, a state-run foreign language news channel based in Beijing.

Experts feel that renewed external pressure and the economic downturn could make China reconsider its thinking on India. Ritu Agarwal, an associate professor at the Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, said, “The G7 declaration on curtailing Chinese technology companies coupled with the current economic downturn in China make it clear that it’s now time for China to consider India in its foreign policy thinking. I hope renewed external pressure would push China to resolve, to an extent, the current issues facing the Indo-Chinese relationship.”

She added, “There was a time when China had other partners in South Asia, like Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Those avenues are long gone and India now remains a strong potential partner for China in the South Asian region, but the latter has not reciprocated to India’s clear stance on what it would take to normalise relations.”

“China also cannot afford another military confrontation with India considering the fact that it has a series of issues to tackle on the domestic front and also it has been crafting an image as a global peacemaker,” she said.


Also Read: What to expect from 3rd G20 tourism meeting in J&K’s Srinagar this week


‘Quad for region where no country dominates’

The leaders of India, the US, Australia and Japan released a joint statement without naming any particular country, making it clear that the Quad leaders “seek a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated”. 

The statement went on to outline a vision where all countries are free from “coercion” and can exercise their own agency to “determine their futures”. It added, “We aim to ensure the investments we support are fit for purpose, demand driven and responsive to countries’ needs, and do not impose unsustainable debt burdens.” 

This is particularly important as over a dozen countries, including South Asian countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka, have faced excessive debt burdens, especially with China, where most were allocating nearly a third of their government revenue in paying off foreign debt, according to an analysis by the Associated Press.

Two countries, Zambia and Sri Lanka, defaulted on their debt obligations, unable to make interest payments on loans financing the construction of ports, mines and powerplants. In March this year, Sri Lanka received a financial bailout worth $3 billion from the International Monetary Fund. 

‘G7 to foster resilience’

In its communique, the G7 also made it clear that it would “counter malign practices such as illegitimate technology transfer or data disclosure (sic).” The statement went on to add, “We will foster resilience to economic coercion.” 

The G7 countries also indicated that they would seek to diversify their economies and reduce “excessive dependencies in our critical supply chains”. 

Both the G7 communique and the Quad Leaders’ statements reiterated their commitment to, “a free and open Indo-Pacific”, and in the case of the former, will oppose “any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion”. The Financial Times called the G7 communique the “strongest criticism of Beijing by the G7”. 


Also Read: China ‘won’t attend’ G20 tourism meet in Srinagar, says ‘opposed to it being held in disputed territory’


China responds 

In a statement, the Chinese foreign ministry said, “Despite China’s serious concerns, the G7 used relevant issues to smear and attack China and brazenly interfere in the country’s internal affairs, which China strongly deplores and firmly opposes and has made serious démarches to the summit’s host Japan and other parties concerned.” 

As for ‘economic coercion’, the massive unilateral sanctions and acts of ‘decoupling’ and disrupting industrial and supply chains make the US the real coercer that politicises and weaponises economic and trade relations. We urge the G7 not to become an accomplice in economic coercion,” added the statement. 

(Edited by Smriti Sinha)


Also Read: ‘…why should we not go to Srinagar?’ German envoy Philipp Ackermann on attending G20 tourism meet


 

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