Attending the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Japan’s Foreign Minister reiterated his opposition to using force or coercion to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait
At the G7 meeting in Paris, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed a strong position on the situation in the East China Sea, South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, and called for joint efforts to deal with economic coercion.
Quick Look
- The G7 foreign ministers held a meeting in Paris.
- Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi emphasized his opposition to using force to change the status quo, and named the East China Sea, South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
- Countries reached a consensus to jointly respond to non-market economic policies and economic coercion, and reiterated the need for North Korea's denuclearization.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
G7 foreign ministers held a meeting in Paris, France, to discuss security and economic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. The focus of the meeting was on responding to the use of force to change the status quo and economic coercion.
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven Major Industrial Countries (G7) held a meeting in Paris, France on the 9th. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi emphasized to all countries that they must resolutely oppose any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion. They clearly named the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and warned that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are inseparable.
A press release issued by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Motegi participated in a working lunch with the theme of "Crisis and International Challenges" and had a candid exchange of views on the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, Africa and Latin America with the foreign ministers of the G7 countries and the EU's foreign affairs and security policy senior official Kaja Kallas.
During the discussion on the situation in the Indo-Pacific, Motegi emphasized to all countries that they must resolutely oppose any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion. The G7 foreign ministers reached a high degree of consensus on this. During the meeting, they emphasized the importance of a "free and open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP) based on the rule of law, and named the East China Sea, South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. They reiterated their strong opposition to any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion.
In addition to traditional military and geopolitical security, Motegi also raised "economic security" challenges in the context of the Indo-Pacific situation. The G7 foreign ministers confirmed that countries will work together to deal with non-market policies and practices and economic coercion, including in particular "arbitrary export restrictions." The move is widely seen as a response to China's recent export controls on strategic minerals and key technologies.
In response to North Korea's threat, the G7 foreign ministers strongly condemned Pyongyang's illegal nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and reiterated their commitment to achieving the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions. In addition, Motegi also called on countries to coordinate policies in response to North Korea's malicious cyber activities, including cryptocurrency theft, and thanked G7 member states for their understanding and cooperation in immediately resolving the issue of North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens.
Open Questions
- What specific measures will the G7 take to deal with economic coercion?
