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Major democracies rallied together this week to issue extraordinary back-to-back rebukes of Beijing, marking a shift toward collective action and pushing back against President Xi Jinping’s strategies to position China as a global leader.
Over two consecutive days, Group of Seven leaders and North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations jointly criticized core Chinese policy under Mr. Xi as damaging to military stability, human rights, international trade and global health. NATO members vowed Monday to counter “systemic challenges to the rules-based international order” posed by China.
A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry rejected the statements as the misguided work of “small circles” and primarily the U.S. Speaking at a regular briefing on Tuesday, spokesman Zhao Lijian said, “The U.S. is sick, and it’s very sick. The G-7 should check America’s pulse and prescribe drugs for it.”
The one-two punch of public criticism smacks directly into Mr. Xi’s assertion that China won’t stand for lecturing by other nations, suggesting anxiety in key capitals is prompting governments to seek alignment with the U.S. over attempting to manage the relationship with Beijing on their own.