ISTANBUL

Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries on Wednesday expressed concern over China’s military buildup and a “rapid increase” in its nuclear arsenal.

The top diplomats – from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, the US, and EU – urged Beijing to “demonstrate its commitment to stability through improved transparency,” according to a joint statement issued after a meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

“We reaffirmed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law,” the statement said, adding that the foreign ministers expressed “strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in particular by force or coercion, including in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.”

Emphasizing “the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the group also opposed “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, particularly by force or coercion,” and called for the “peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues through constructive dialogue.”

They further expressed support for “Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.”

The foreign ministers “strongly condemned” North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and reaffirmed their commitment to its “complete denuclearization.”

The G7 also expressed “grave concern” over Pyongyang’s cryptocurrency thefts and urged a swift resolution to the issue of abductions.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi voiced “serious concern” over China’s export control measures on rare earths, emphasizing the importance of “a Free and Open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law” and “Japan's stance of standing with Ukraine,” according to a ministry statement.

Motegi also stressed the need for stable supplies of critical minerals like rare earths through cooperation among the G7 and other “like-minded countries,” calling for stronger efforts on both demand and supply sides.

The G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, and the EU foreign policy chief met on Tuesday and Wednesday.