China denounces G7's criticism on issues concerning internal affairs

(From L to R, Front) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, (From L to R, Rear) European Council President Charles Michel, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, stand for a photo in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, Britain, on June 11, 2021. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the UK expressed on Monday strong opposition to a joint communique issued by the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) in which the group of nations criticized Beijing over issues concerning China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Taiwan.

In a statement, the spokesperson said the criticism was based on distorted facts and once again urged the group to stop meddling in China's internal affairs.

"We urge the U.S. and other members of the G7 to respect the facts, recognize the situation, stop slandering China, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, stop harming China's interests, and do more things that are conducive to promoting international cooperation instead of artificially creating confrontations and frictions," the spokesperson said.

G7 on Sunday wrapped up its first in-person summit in almost two years in Britain's southwestern resort of Carbis Bay in Cornwall.

Besides criticism on the three regions, the G7 leaders also censured China on other issues including trade policy.

In response, the spokesperson strongly denied the accusation of following "non-market" policies. China's total tariff level has been reduced to 7.5 percent since November 2018 and the country is committed to opening up and building up a market environment where domestic and foreign enterprises are treated equally and compete on a level playing field, the spokesperson said.