Tokyo Expresses 'Grave Concerns' Over China, Calls For 'Solidarity Approach' Toward Russia

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2021) Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has expressed concerns over a number of issues related to China on the second day of the Group of Seven ministerial meeting in London, and called on the G7 member states to develop a "solidarity approach" toward Moscow, the Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday.

Motegi stressed that China's attempts to change the status quo in the East China and South China seas, the situation around Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as Beijing's handling of human rights of the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang autonomous region, caused "grave concerns.

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According to the media outlet, regional issues were also discussed at the meeting. Notably, the United Kingdom firmly denounced Russia's actions near the Ukrainian border. Motegi, on his part, called for solidarity toward Russia.

The G7 includes the UK, the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the EU. The two-day meeting is the first gathering of G7 foreign ministers since 2019, as well as the first major in-person diplomatic meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The meeting lays the groundwork for the summit among world leaders in June.