G7 opposes militarization of the South China Sea, angering China.

G7 leaders strongly oppose any unilateral actions that escalate tensions in the South China Sea, which has angered China.

Subi Reef, part of Vietnam's Spratly Islands, has been illegally reclaimed by China into an artificial island with a runway built on it. The image was taken by a Philippine Air Force aircraft in April. Photo: AP

"We urge all parties to demilitarize the disputed entities," G7 leaders said in a joint statement yesterday after meeting in Italy, expressing concern over the situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea, and strongly opposing any unilateral actions that could increase tensions.

The countries also reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a rules-based order at sea, in accordance with the principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and to resolving maritime disputes through diplomacy and legal means, including arbitration.

According to Xinhua, Lu Kang, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said early this morning that China is committed to "protecting peace and stability" in the South China Sea and East China Sea through dialogue and direct consultation with relevant parties. Lu also brazenly called on the G7 and other countries to "stop irresponsible statements."

China claims sovereignty over a large area of ​​the South China Sea, overlapping with the maritime territories of neighboring Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines. China has also illegally reclaimed land on seven reefs in Vietnam's Spratly Islands, transforming them into artificial islands and constructing three military-grade runways, despite President Xi Jinping's 2015 declaration that China would not further "militarize" them.

Vietnam has repeatedly affirmed that all construction and expansion activities by foreign countries on islands, reefs, and shoals in the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos without the permission of the Vietnamese government are illegal and invalid.

According to VNE