The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, today called on China “to put pressure on Russia to stop its aggression” against Ukraine, while underlining at the same time that they want “constructive and stable” relations with Beijing.

“We are ready to build constructive and stable relations with China”, the heads of state and government of the seven most developed industrialized countries of the world (USA, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom) state in their announcement, referring to “the importance of having an honest dialogue” with the Chinese authorities.

The statement is the fruit of negotiations between countries such as the US, which is proposing a tougher position amid rising tensions with China, and others, on the European side, who insist that any climate of “confrontation” with the giant Asian country must be avoided .

“It is necessary to cooperate with China, given its role in the international community and the size of its economy, on global challenges as well as on areas of common interest”, estimates the G7, which meets from yesterday, Friday, until tomorrow, Sunday, in Hiroshima.

“We invite China to engage in dialogue with us, including in international forums, on issues such as the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis,” adds the G7.

The Group of Seven also emphasizes that it is not pursuing a policy designed to harm China or hinder its economic progress.

But at the same time, the major Western powers and Japan are warning the Chinese authorities in many places.

“We call on China to put pressure on Russia to stop its military offensive and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine,” the G7 leaders underlined.

Beijing indeed remains an ally of Moscow and has never condemned the Russian invasion. “We encourage China to support a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace on the basis of territorial integrity,” “including through its direct dialogue with Ukraine,” they continued.

The G7 countries also reiterated their “opposition” to any Chinese “militarization” in the Asia-Pacific region, assuring that there is “no legal basis” for the country’s “expansive maritime claims” in the South China Sea.

On the issue of Taiwan, they reiterated their call for “a peaceful solution” to the conflict with Beijing, which considers the island one of its provinces, which it has yet to reunite with the rest of its territory after the end of Chinese Civil War in 1949.

The G7 members’ position on Taiwan has not changed, they insisted.