UpdateG7 forum held hostage over South China Sea: Beijing

Beijing responded furiously yesterday to a statement by the Group of Seven foreign ministers opposing “provocative actions” in the South China Sea, accusing the bloc of having been taken hostage by “certain countries”.

In toughly worded remarks after the ministers’ summit in ­Hiroshima, Japan, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the G7 should not be swayed by some countries’ “selfish interests”, and that the South China Sea disputes were being “hyped”.

Why the Chinese are so territorial about the South China Sea

“If the G7 wants to continue playing a major role in the world, it should take an attitude of seeking truth from the facts to handle the issues the international community is most concerned with at the moment,” Lu said.

“If the G7 is taken hostage by the selfish interests of certain countries, then this won’t be beneficial to the G7’s influence, role and future development.”

The group of foreign ministers wrapped up their meeting in the Japanese city devastated by a US atomic bomb more than seven decades ago by condemning North Korea’s nuclear tests.

They also called for the peaceful management of disputes in the East and South China seas.