Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Nov 27: The foreign ministers of the G7 nations, alongside the European Union High Representative, have expressed concerns over China’s human rights record, particularly in Tibet, East Turkestan, and Hong Kong and urged China to abide by international legal commitment.
Their concerns were outlined in a collective statement following the second G7 Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meeting, hosted under Italy’s presidency on Tuesday. “We remain concerned by the human rights situation in China, including in East Turkestan and Tibet,” the statement stated.
They expressed their unease regarding Beijing’s ongoing suppression of freedoms and civil liberties in Hong Kong, pointing to the sentencing of 45 pro-democracy activists as a severe setback for democracy and the rule of law. “The sentencing of 45 pro-democracy politicians and activists marks a further deterioration of democratic participation and pluralism, which undermines confidence in the rule of law as enshrined in the Hong Kong Basic Law, and therefore Hong Kong’s and the People’s Republic of China’s international legal obligations.”
The ministers urged authorities of both China and Hong Kong to honor their international human rights commitments, stating, “We remain concerned by the erosion of civil society, human rights, and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.”
The group reaffirmed their collective commitment to defending international law and promoting universal human rights. “We reiterate our commitment to foster respect for international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, to protect human rights and dignity for all individuals,” the statement read.
This declaration builds upon the G7’s earlier criticisms during their first Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meeting in April, where similar concerns were raised about China’s human rights practices in Tibet East Turkistan and Hong Kong.
The Group of Seven (G-7) is an intergovernmental organization made up of the world’s largest developed economies: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada with the European Union participating as a non-enumerated member. Government leaders of these countries meet periodically to address international economic and monetary issues, with each member taking over the presidency on a rotating basis.
