PARIS: Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) have expressed concern over China's increasingly assertive activities in the waters east of Taiwan, warning that the actions threaten regional stability, freedom of navigation and the safety of international shipping, according to a report by Taipei Times. The warning was issued in a joint declaration published late Wednesday following a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Paris. According to the report, China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has intensified its activities off Taiwan's east coast since June, conducting regular patrols by its coast guard.
Taiwanese officials believe Beijing is practising for a potential maritime blockade by deploying overlapping military, paramilitary and civilian assets in the surrounding waters. The G7 statement marked a unified expression of concern over China's activities east of Taiwan. France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States had previously voiced concerns about Beijing's actions in the area. "China's increasingly assertive activities in the waters east of Taiwan threaten regional stability, freedom of navigation and the safety of international shipping," the joint declaration stated. (ANI)