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刘光源特派员在《南华早报》发表署名文章《祸乱世界的七国集团峰会可以休矣》
2023-05-30 18:44

5月30日,外交部驻港公署刘光源特派员在《南华早报》发表题为《祸乱世界的七国集团峰会可以休矣》的英文署名文章,强调七国集团代表不了国际社会,其指责中国“经济胁迫”纯属倒打一耙,干涉中国内政的言行违背事实道义,敦促七国集团不要再开历史倒车。文章当日亦在该报网页版刊登。全文如下:


祸乱世界的七国集团峰会可以休矣

近日,七国集团领导人齐聚日本广岛举行峰会,并发表所谓“联合声明”,俨然以“世界政府”自居。他们的言论实质上在分裂国际社会、遏制中国发展。近年来,在美国主导下,七国集团意识形态色彩和冷战气息不断加重,日益成为策动阵营对抗的地缘政治工具,给世界和平及国际秩序带来严重冲击。

七国集团代表不了国际社会,早已外强中干。上世纪70年代成立之初,七国集团占全球经济70%的份额,被视为“富国俱乐部”。随着广大发展中国家和新兴经济体群体性崛起,七国集团经济总量占全球比重不断下滑,据国际货币基金组织估计,这一比重今年将降至30%。世界银行报告显示,从2013年到2021年,七国集团对世界经济增长的贡献率总和仅为25.7%,不及中国的38.6%,美国贡献率仅为18.6%,不及中国一半。如今的七国集团已是过时黄花、垂垂老矣,既无能力更无意愿解决任何全球性政治经济安全问题,却仍心比天高,妄想代表国际社会,只能说是错估了自身分量,也误读了时代潮流。

七国集团指责中国经济胁迫,纯属倒打一耙。要论“经济胁迫”,这顶帽子无疑最适合美国来戴。长期以来,美国大搞单边制裁、“脱钩断链”,动辄将经济问题泛化、意识形态化、武器化,以“去风险化”为名行“去中国化”之实,是世界经济稳定发展的头号破坏者和国际社会最大的经济胁迫者。据统计,从2000年到2021年,美国政府对外制裁猛增933%。截至2021年,美国已对全球近40个国家实施制裁,影响全球近一半人口。近年来,为维护自身霸权利益,美国滥用国家力量打压中国企业,穷尽手段在关键产业领域对中国进行围追堵截,众多跨国企业都成为美国经济胁迫的受害者。七国集团理应敦促美国检讨自身经济胁迫恶行,而不是配合美国玩“贼喊捉贼”的把戏,给别国乱扣帽子。

七国集团粗暴干涉中国内政,违背事实道义。七国集团所谓“联合声明”对台湾问题、香港问题等指手画脚,字里行间充斥着反华遏华的险恶用心。台湾问题的历史经纬明明白白,两岸同属一个中国的事实和现状清清楚楚。一个中国原则是公认的国际关系基本准则,也是中国和其他国家建立和发展外交关系的政治基础。然而,美国为首的七国集团不断歪曲虚化掏空一个中国原则,变相支持纵容“台独”势力,企图“以台制华”,严重冲击台海和平稳定。香港是中国的香港,不是少数魑魅魍魉为所欲为的“政治秀场”,香港事务纯属中国内政,七国集团无权横加干涉。如今的香港进入由乱到治走向由治及兴的新阶段,发展前景更加光明,借香港问题指责中国完全是颠倒黑白,煽惑不了心明眼亮的香港市民,蛊惑不了国际社会的有识之士,只会让世人更加看清七国集团的无耻蛮横。

近年来,七国集团各国内部问题丛生,游行、罢工此起彼伏,社会矛盾愈演愈烈,根源在于社会不公平不公正,在于民众的基本权利被忽略被轻视。近期美国债务上限僵局难解,多家银行相继“爆雷”,令全球经济承受重压,美国两党却还在相互推诿、甩锅。面对重重困境,美国为首的七国集团不检视自身问题,反而“自己生病,硬要让别人吃药”,依然醉心于冷战思维,执迷于吆五喝六的“教师爷”做派,到头来只会既丢了体面,也沦为笑谈!

中国始终走和平发展道路,奉行互利共赢的开放战略,坚定维护以国际法为基础的国际秩序,反对任何霸凌霸权霸道行径,不断为解决全球问题和促进世界发展提供中国方案。在七国集团峰会举行之际,中国—中亚峰会在西安隆重举行,各方共叙传统友谊,共谋未来发展,共同推动构建更加紧密的命运共同体。两相对比,高下立判。

“青山遮不住,毕竟东流去。”七国集团应该意识到,肆意干涉别国内政、操纵全球事务的时代已经一去不复返了。在21世纪的今天,中国决不接受少数国家强加罪名、乱扣帽子,国际社会也不会接受美国主导的所谓“西方规则”。忠言逆耳,奉劝七国集团不要再执迷不悟开历史倒车,企图堵住别人的路,到头来只会堵死自己的路。


Dead-end Diplomacy

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations gathered in Hiroshima, Japan, from May 19 to 21 for a summit, during which they issued a joint communique that read like a manifesto by a world government poking its nose into other countries’ affairs.

World peace and the global order have been under siege as the G7, dependent on the whims of the United States, has degenerated into a geopolitical tool with deep ideological prejudice and a Cold War mentality designed to contain China and intensify confrontations between political and economic blocs.

With weakening economic heft, representing the world has become a tall order for the G7. When it was founded in the 1970s, the G7 accounted for almost 70 per cent of the global economy. However, with the rise of developing countries and emerging economies, its share of global gross domestic product has continued to fall and is expected to dip to 30 per cent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

A World Bank report reveals that, from 2013 to 2021, the G7 contributed only 25.7 per cent of global growth, less than China’s 38.6 per cent. The US contributed only 18.6 per cent, less than half of China’s share.

As the G7’s slice of the world economy has shrunk, so has its relevance. Today’s G7 has neither the ability nor the will to solve any global political, economic or security problem, and its leaders must adjust to the reality that the group’s influence is waning.

The G7’s charge of “economic coercion” against China is without merit. The US – which resorts to unilateral sanctions, long-arm jurisdiction, decoupling, breakage of supply and industrial chains and politicising and weaponising economic and trade ties – is in fact the origin and main facilitator of “economic coercion”.

From 2000 to 2021, US government sanctions against foreign entities rose by 933 per cent. By 2021, the US had imposed sanctions on dozens of countries around the world, affecting a large portion of the world’s population.

The US is also pursuing decoupling from China in the guise of “de-risking”. To maintain its interests, Washington has abused its power to crack down on Chinese enterprises in key industries at the expense of many multinational companies. Other G7 members should urge the US to review its misdeeds, instead of doing Washington’s bidding as accomplices of “economic coercion”.

The G7’s interference in China’s internal affairs flies in the face of the facts. The G7 communique also made mention of Taiwan and Hong Kong, laying bare its intention to curb China’s rise.

The historical particulars of the Taiwan question are clear. The two sides across the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. The one-China principle is a basic norm for international relations and also the political basis for China and other countries to establish and develop diplomatic relations. However, the G7 has been trying to hollow out the one-China principle and conspire with forces supporting Taiwan independence, posing a serious risk to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Hong Kong is part of China, not a stage for political manipulation by a few foreign forces. Hong Kong’s affairs are purely China’s internal affairs and meddling by the G7 will not be tolerated. Hong Kong has entered a new stage, going from chaos to stability and prosperity with brighter prospects. Attacking China by hyping Hong Kong issues will not fool Hong Kong citizens or fair-minded people in the international community. Rather, such actions only reveal the group’s hypocrisy and hegemony.

The G7 countries face many economic and social problems at home, including a growing rich-poor divide and neglect of the basic rights of those on the lower rungs of the social ladder, triggering protests and strikes in the US and other nations.

In recent months, US banking concerns have widened and the Democrats and Republicans have been locked in a bitter fight over the debt ceiling deadline, which risks pushing the world economy into crisis. If the G7 remains obsessed with its Cold War mentality and condescending attitude to others in the face of these difficulties, it risks losing all respect.

China follows the path of peaceful development, pursues a win-win strategy of opening up and constantly provides solutions to global issues. It stands up for the international order based on international law and rejects any bullying act of hegemony.

As the G7 leaders gathered in Hiroshima, focusing on maintaining their domination of the world order and monopoly over the global economy, the China-Central Asia summit opened in Xian, where China and five Central Asia countries discussed how to achieve common development and build a closer community with a shared future. Unlike the G7, the summit in China sent a cooperative signal to the world.

As a Chinese poem says, “Thick mountains cannot stop the river from flowing into the sea.” Long gone are the days when a handful of countries could freely meddle in others’ internal affairs and manipulate global issues. In the 21st century, the international community – China included – will not accept Western rules that are imposed by the US. The G7 countries should realise they cannot stop this trend; ultimately, those blocking the path of others will find themselves in a dead end.