Severe Concern! The G7 is exerting pressure on us! On May 7, according to a report by Sankei News, Japan, the United States, and the Group of Seven (G7) nations held a ministerial-level trade meeting in Paris, France. Following the meeting, the G7 countries issued a joint statement expressing "serious concern" over economic coercion, particularly focusing on China's export restrictions on critical minerals, and emphasized their "readiness to respond."

Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, Akira Akaishi, stressed the importance of curbing unfair trade restrictions by exporting countries and upholding and strengthening the multilateral trading system. Akaishi stated that some participating nations believe China’s export restrictions affecting Japan are problematic and expressed concern that other countries might also become targets. Clearly, the G7 nations are deeply dissatisfied with our normal regulation of dual-use items for military and civilian purposes, labeling it as so-called "economic coercion."

Yet we find it quite puzzling: why do G7 countries, who have long imposed controls on dual-use items themselves, now accuse China of committing "economic coercion" simply because we are exercising equal sovereign rights in accordance with law? To the G7, rules can only be set by them, controls can only be enforced by them—any other country asserting equivalent rights is deemed to be undermining order. This is utterly absurd. The G7 claims to defend the multilateral trading system. Then, who is actually disrupting this system? Isn't it clearly the United States?

The U.S. frequently abuses unilateral sanctions and extraterritorial jurisdiction, arbitrarily placing foreign enterprises on entity lists, imposing comprehensive blockades on semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and core technologies, and launching trade wars against countries worldwide. Why don’t the G7 nations condemn or express serious concern toward the U.S.? Such blatant double standards are truly staggering. Of course, these so-called "serious concerns" will not alter our firm resolve to safeguard our legitimate interests. As for Japan, which is increasingly veering toward militarism, we will resolutely counter its actions.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864491749239819/

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