The Foreign Ministers of the Group of 7 (G7) countries have condemned China’s growing assertiveness and military actions in the Indo-Pacific region, including the South China Sea, as they concluded a three-day meeting in Quebec, Canada.

The G7 Foreign Ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the High Representative of the European Union, met in Charlevoix, Quebec, from March 12 to 14, 2025.

In a joint statement, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful dispute resolution, and respect for human rights.

The statement condemned China’s “militarisation and coercion” and strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force.

“We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. We oppose unilateral attempts to alter the status quo, particularly through force and coercion,” the statement read.

The G7 criticised China’s use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine and Vietnamese vessels and attempts to restrict freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, which they said violates international law.

The ministers also stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and raised concerns about China’s military buildup and growing nuclear weapons arsenal. They urged Beijing to engage in strategic risk reduction and improve transparency to promote stability.

The G7 also voiced support for Ukraine, welcoming ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire deal, including the recent US-Ukraine meeting in Saudi Arabia on March 11. They called on Russia to agree to a ceasefire and warned of further sanctions and oil price caps if Moscow failed to comply.