By Shen Yi

On March 14, the Canadian foreign ministry released the G7 Foreign Ministers' Declaration on Maritime Security and Prosperity, in which unfounded accusations against China were made in multiple aspects.

No matter how the G7's statement conveys misinformation, it cannot change the international consensus that there is only one China in the world. Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Foreign Minister, stated during the Two Sessions this year that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. This is the history and the reality.

The Cairo Declaration, issued in December 1943, and the Potsdam Proclamation, announced in July 1945, clearly stipulated that Taiwan, which was illegally occupied by Japan, must be returned to China. In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, which settled once and for all the issue of China's representation in the UN, and it covered the whole country, including Taiwan. It fundamentally eliminated any possibility of creating "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan". These historical facts clearly demonstrate China's sovereignty over Taiwan and constitute an important part of the post-WWII world order.

The wordplay in this joint statement reflects an attempt by some G7 politicians to forcefully consolidate an "anti-China consensus" through interference in China's internal affairs, aiming to gloss over and repair internal divisions within the G7. However, such a scheme is fundamentally unachievable.

The G7 is a distorted product of the US hegemonic system, which plays a dominant role in shaping the internal order of the Western bloc. For a long time, the price the US has paid for enjoying the position of leader of the so-called Western bloc is providing "security guarantees." The other G7 member countries have taken advantage of US hegemony by reducing their defense spending, benefiting from various advantages such as trade surpluses with the US.

As a result, there have been ongoing tensions between the US and the other G7 members over this issue. Attempts to create a common "enemy" in exchange for temporary forgiveness from the US and to reunite the member states are unlikely to change the stance of the new US administration or address the inherent internal contradictions within the US itself. Instead, it will only further highlight the ineffectiveness of such an approach.

A show of strength that conceals inner weakness in a statement cannot hide the reality that the overall strength and influence of the G7 have been declining year after year. In 2023, the G7's share of global GDP was 29%, a significant decline from over 60% when it was established in 1976. While their strength has declined, some elites in G7 countries, influenced by Western-centric arrogance and a misguided perception of their power, struggle to adopt a healthy mindset in recognizing and understanding the collective rise of emerging powers like China and the Global South.

The G7's ploy cannot change the reality and fact that Taiwan belongs to China. It will not mend the rifts between its member countries nor alter its weakening strength. The G7 should abandon its hegemonic arrogance and aggression, accept the new realities of the international community, and make wise choices that align with the direction of historical progress.

(The author is the director of the International Research Institute of Global Cyberspace Governance of Fudan University)

Editor's Note: Originally published on huanqiu.com, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.