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Beijing’s military drills around Taiwan are ‘destabilising’, G7 says

In joint statement on Sunday, G7 diplomats said exercises ‘put at risk global security and prosperity’, urged peaceful resolution of issues

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A guard stands by as a cargo ships sails next to Pingtan island, the closest point between mainland China and Taiwan’s main island, in Fujian province on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
Reuters

Foreign ministers from the G7 (Group of Seven major advanced economies) called mainland China’s recent military drills around Taiwan provocative and destabilising while urging dialogue for “peaceful resolution of issues”.

“These increasingly frequent and destabilising activities are raising cross-Strait tensions and put at risk global security and prosperity,” the top diplomats said in a joint statement on Sunday.

“G7 members continue to encourage the peaceful resolution of issues through constructive cross-Strait dialogue.”

Last week, mainland China’s military concluded two-day war games around Taiwan in which it held long-range, live-fire drills in the East China Sea, marking an escalation of exercises around the island.

The combat drills are fuelling fears that one day a military exercise could escalate into a real attack by the People’s Liberation Army.

Beijing views Taiwan as part of China and has not ruled out the use of force to reunify it with the mainland.
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