Leaders of the Group of Seven industrialised nations have expressed "strong opposition" to land reclamation in disputed waters in the South China Sea.
Wrapping up a two-day summit in Germany, world leaders also warned Russia it would face stepped-up sanctions for its "aggression" in Ukraine.
"We underline the importance of peaceful dispute settlement as well as free and unimpeded lawful use of the world's oceans," they said in a communique at Elmau Castle, in southern Germany.
READ MORE: Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea, while the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have overlapping claims.
"We strongly oppose the use of intimidation, coercion or force, as well as any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo, such as large-scale land reclamation," the G7 leaders said.
It fell short of singling out China, but the wording was an apparent reference to Beijing's reclamation work in the South China Sea.
