G7 scolds China on human rights violations in Xinjiang, demands transparent investigation into Covid-19 origins

In view of many reports alleging that the Covid-19 virus was produced in a Wuhan lab, pressure has been mounting on China to lead a fair and transparent investigation into the matter.  The G7 communique demanded an exhaustive investigation into the origins of Covid-19. The G7 in a statement said that they will promote their “values” by demanding fundamental rights from China.

The Group of Seven (G7) countries on Sunday slammed China for abusing human rights in Hong Kong and against Uyghur Muslims in its Xinjiang province. The G7 leaders also demanded a transparent and thorough investigation into the origins of Covid-19. The G7 communique also dived deeper into China’s most sensitive issues relating to its neighbouring countries like Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In view of many reports alleging that the Covid-19 virus was produced in a Wuhan lab, pressure has been mounting on China to lead a fair and transparent investigation into the matter.  The G7 communique demanded an exhaustive investigation into the origins of Covid-19. The G7 in a statement said that they will promote their “values” by demanding fundamental rights from China.

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"We will promote our values, by calling on China to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially in relation to Xinjiang and those rights, freedoms and a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration," the G7 said.

“With regard to China, and competition in the global economy, we will continue to consult on collective approaches to challenging non-market policies and practices which undermine the fair and transparent operation of the global economy,” the communiqué added.

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Before the G7 meet, China had pointedly cautioned its leaders that the days when "small" groups of countries decided the fate of the world were long gone.

United States president Joe Biden led the charge against China at the G7 summit and later said that he was ‘satisfied’ as there was “plenty of action” being taken on China.

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“Last time the G7 met there was no mention on China in the communiqué and this time there is mention of China. The G7 explicitly agreed to call out human rights abuses in Hong Kong and in Xinjiang and to coordinate a common strategy to deal with China’s non-market policies that undermine competition and the G7 agreed to take serious action against forced labour in solar, agricultural and garment industries because that is where it is happening,” Biden said in a press conference.

In the past few decades, China has grown significantly, gaining prominence in political and economic spaces around the world. It is considered to be one of the most significant political events of recent times. This has also led to the rise in United States’ anti-China stance that is now being showcased in a full-blown manner by the US President.

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Biden said: “We are in a contest not with China per se, but a contest with autocratic governments around the world and whether democracies can compete with them in a rapidly changing 21st century and I think how we act and whether we pull together as democracies will determine whether our grandchildren look back in 15 years’ time and say,  ‘Did they step up?’ 

President Biden met Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and UK prime minister Boris Johnson on the margins of the G7 summit in Carbis Bay on Saturday when they agreed that the strategic context in the Indo-Pacific “was changing” and that there was a “strong rationale” for deepening cooperation between the three governments.

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