Introduction
In anticipation of the 2023 Group of Seven nations (G7) Communique, the Inter-Parliamentary on China (IPAC), is pleased to issue the following statement.
The IPAC network is united in welcoming the attention, which the G7 meeting this May will devote to the China challenge, and congratulates Japan for the leadership the country provides in this regard.
We acknowledge the importance of engaging candidly with China, expressing our concerns directly, and working together with China where such cooperation does not undermine our common values and interests. Safeguarding human rights, fundamental freedoms, and fair rules upon which shared prosperity depends is all of our responsibility.
In this spirit, we urge the G7 to focus its attention on the following priorities.
Anti-Coercion Mechanism
We recognize the efforts of the EU and others in creating mechanisms to prevent a third country from using coercive economic measures against states or economic actors. We urge China to refrain from economic coercion, which undermines international trade rules and norms. The G7 should look at ways of coordinating anti-coercion efforts.
IPAC recommends:
- G7 countries should work towards coordinating responses to instances of economic coercion by any state actor, including China.
- This could involve a forum of ministers tasked with exploring what action should be taken against an offending state.
Supply Chain Resilience and Labour Standards
We support efforts to strengthen global supply chain resilience, including through the promotion of labour standards and environmental sustainability. We urge China to cooperate in this regard, and to ensure that its labour practices and environmental standards comply with international norms, in particular with ILO core conventions.
IPAC recommends:
- G7 countries should agree to work towards establishing a coordinated approach in dealing with state-induced forced labour and in promoting human rights due diligence regulations, together with committing to update, improve, and coordinate risk advice to businesses operating in, or sourcing from problematic regions.
- G7 nations should implement de-risking strategies vis-a-vis the PRC, reducing over-dependencies with a view to bolstering economic security and securing shared resilience.
Energy Resilience and Dependency
As Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine has shown, there is an urgent need to improve energy resilience, and to de-risk sources of energy supply, especially where such sources are under authoritarian leadership. Beijing’s increasing dominance in the renewable energy market is a matter of increasing concern.
IPAC recommends:
- G7 countries should agree to work towards diversifying supply and increasing investment in alternative energy sources and technologies. This could involve promoting greater cooperation and coordination among G7 countries in developing and deploying renewable energy solutions, as well as supporting domestic production of critical energy supplies and furthering resource partnerships with emerging economies, especially by investing in the development of critical raw material processing capacity.
China’s Support for Putin’s War in Ukraine
Beijing’s “no limits” partnership with Moscow threatens to destabilize global security yet further. China’s continual opposition to international demands for Russian withdrawal from Ukrainian territory calls into question Beijing’s commitment to the foundation principles of the international rules based system.
IPAC acknowledges that China has substantial leverage vis-a-vis Russia and therefore believes that the international community is right to call upon Beijing to use its influence in defence of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
IPAC recommends:
- G7 countries should agree to increase diplomatic pressure on China to leverage its economic relationship with Russia to end the war.
- G7 nations should collectively monitor any support, which Chinese entities and individuals might provide for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and consider sanctions wherever necessary.
Security of Taiwan
We reaffirm our commitment to the security and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, oppose any unilateral change in the Taiwan Strait and call on China to refrain from any actions that may threaten the peace and stability of the region.
IPAC recommends:
- G7 nations should reiterate their firm opposition to any unilateral change in the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.
- G7 nations should underline the importance of Taiwan to the global economy, and set out measures to ensure that trade and other exchanges with Taiwan are able to continue unimpeded.
- The G7 communique should not shy away from the need for coordinated deterrence against military or other coercive PRC action against Taiwan, signalling that escalated aggression towards Taiwan will cost Beijing dearly.
- The G7 should acknowledge that instability in the South China Sea will have a severe impact upon the global economy. Efforts to de-risk global supply chains must take such an eventuality into account, and take bold steps to deter it.
Transnational Repression
We share the concern of many of our governments about China’s transnational repression, which is being used to target dissidents, activists, and journalists all over the world. We condemn the use of illegal and extralegal means by Chinese authorities to harass, intimidate, and threaten these individuals and their families. We call on China to immediately cease these practices, release all political prisoners, and respect the rights of all individuals to freedom of expression, association, and movement.
IPAC recommends:
- G7 countries coordinate their efforts to investigate and expose China’s transnational repression, including by sharing information, coordinating sanctions, and supporting civil society groups and human rights defenders who are working to document and counter these abuses.
- We urge the G7 countries to work with other like-minded partners to pressure China to end its transnational repression by raising these issues in multilateral fora.
- We call on the G7 countries to strengthen their own legal and regulatory frameworks to prevent Chinese authorities from using their jurisdictions to conduct transnational repression.
Cybersecurity, cyber-enabled theft and misinformation
IPAC remains deeply concerned about China’s continued cyber-enabled theft and espionage activities, including intellectual property theft and the targeting of critical infrastructure and personal data. We are similarly concerned about Beijing’s increased use of misinformation and propaganda to influence global opinion. We call on China to uphold its international obligations and commitments to responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, including refraining from conducting or supporting cyber-enabled intellectual property theft for commercial gain and to to respect the principles of freedom of expression and access to information.
IPAC recommends:
- G7 countries should commit to increasing international cooperation to share information and best practices to prevent and respond to cyber threats and attacks, including through the creation of a multilateral mechanism to investigate and attribute cyber attacks.
- G7 countries should be proactive in countering state-sponsored misinformation.
- G7 members ought to develop and implement measures to strengthen the cybersecurity and resilience of critical infrastructure, including through the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Signed:
Senator James Patterson, Australia
Dr Hugh McDermott MP, Australia
Fatmir Mediu MP, Albania
Samuel Cogolati MP, Belgium
James Bezan MP, Canada
Senator Pavel Fischer, Czechia
Eva Decroix, Czechia
Reinhard Bütikofer MEP, European Union
Miriam Lexmann MEP, European Union
Anna Fotyga MEP, European Union
Andre Gattolin, France
Engin Eroglu MEP, Germany
Senator Barry Ward, Ireland
Clr. Yasue Funayama, Japan
Rep. Akihisa Nagashima, Japan
Dovilė Šakalienė MP, Lithuania
Žygimantas Pavilionis MP, Lithuania
Simon O’Connor MP, New Zealand
Ingrid Leary MP, New Zealand
Antonio Miloshoski, North Macedonia
Guri Melby MP, Norway
Tom van der Lee MP, The Netherlands
Sjoerd Sjoerdsma MP, The Netherlands
Catalin Teneta, Romania
Joar Forssell MP, Sweden
Fabian Molina MP, Switzerland
Nicolas Walder, Switzerland
Oleksandr Merezhko, Ukraine
Mykola Kniazhytskyi, Ukraine
Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, United Kingdom
Tim Loughton MP, United Kingdom
Natalie Bennett MP, United Kingdom
