G7 leaders underscores importance of peace, stability across Taiwan Strait

In its Carbis Bay Communique, the world leaders said, "We reiterate the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo Pacific, which is inclusive and based on the rule of law. We underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues."

"We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas and strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and increase tensions," it added.

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.

The leaders also pledged to promote shared values by calling on China to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Xinjiang where Beijing is accused of committing serious human rights abuses against the Uyghur minority, and in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong, while agreeing to consult on collective approaches on Beijing's practices to undermine the fair and transparent operation of the global economy.

"At the same time and in so doing, we will promote our values, including by calling on China to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially in relation to Xinjiang and those rights, freedoms and high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law," the communique further read.

The G7 summit began formally on Friday as the leaders of the world's most advanced economies gathered on the Cornish coast for the first time since the outbreak of global coronavirus pandemic.

The UK is the current G7 President. This is the 7th time UK is heading the G7. The theme selected by the UK for its G7 Presidency is 'Build Back Better' in a nod to global recovery efforts post-COVID-19 pandemic. (ANI)