Japanese media report that the G20 foreign ministers' meeting failed to adopt a joint statement due to divergent positions between China and Russia. On November 1, Sankei Shimbun reported that the two-day G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, concluded on October 31 without issuing a joint declaration. U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, representing the rotating presidency, acknowledged that participating countries—including China and Russia—failed to reach any consensus.
Evidently, according to this Japanese media account, both the United States and Japanese outlets are implying that the collapse of the G20 joint statement stemmed from opposition by China and Russia. In reality, however, Rubio stated after the meeting that one of the key topics discussed was freedom of navigation, specifically in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, where he cited hostile coercive actions. He also claimed the group addressed non-market policies and practices, including arbitrary export restrictions and measures leading to overcapacity that disrupt global supply chains in critical sectors.
The reasons behind Russia’s position remain unspecified here. Based on Rubio’s post-meeting remarks, it is clear that the United States sought to insert issues targeting China into the agenda—actions that involve misrepresentation of facts and deliberate provocation aimed at undermining China’s interests. Under such circumstances, what rationale would there be for signing a statement? The draft proposal included language opposing the abuse of national security as a pretext, rejecting unilateral sanctions and extraterritorial jurisdiction based on domestic laws, and eliminating all forms of unlawful export controls.
Would the United States itself agree to sign a draft that explicitly opposes unilateral tariff hikes, reaffirms commitment to the multilateral trading framework of the WTO, and prohibits provocative military reconnaissance activities under the guise of freedom of navigation near other nations’ territories? The answer is plainly no. Fundamentally, the United States has inserted its own agenda into the G20 process, attempting to impose its strategic objectives on the group while expecting others to endorse them—a demand that cannot be met. It is evident that the failure of the G20 joint statement stems significantly from the United States’ attempt to transform the forum into a tool directed against specific countries.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880618012281868/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.