China lodged a complaint with Japan’s ambassador on May 21 after it perceived that the Group of Seven (G-7) leaders’ summit had launched a smear campaign against it. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong warned Japan against interfering in China’s internal affairs and meddling with the Taiwan issue. He stated that Japan had collaborated with other G-7 countries to “hype up China-related issues.” In response, Japanese Ambassador Hideo Tarumi defended the G-7 communiqué, which criticized China for its human rights abuses in Tibet and Xinjiang and its militarization activities in the South China Sea. Tarumi emphasized that the G-7’s position was based on careful consideration and urged China to properly handle its relationship with Japan.