Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has emphasized that the G7 foreign ministers meeting should not play up the South China Sea issue.

The upcoming meeting of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers should not play up the South China Sea issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

“I hope the G7 can play an active role like the G20, and focus its agenda on economic development. But if some countries want to include historical issues or specific territorial disputes in the G7 meetings, that would bring no help in resolving the problem but harm regional stability, which is surely not appropriate,” Wang said.

Wang Yi made the statement during a meeting with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier Friday in Beijing. Wang said that if some countries take up territorial issues at the G7 meeting for political purposes, that would not help resolve the issues, and would instead affect regional stability.

The Chinese foreign minister also met with visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond Saturday. Wang told Hammond that China hopes Britain will adopt an objective and fair stand in the South China Sea issue, and not take sides.