BEIJING — China hit back on Monday after G7 leaders warned Beijing to stop sending weapons components to Russia, saying their end-of-summit statement was “full of arrogance, prejudice and lies.”

When Group of Seven leaders met last week in Italy, souring trade relations with China as well as tensions over Ukraine and the South China Sea were a focus of their discussions.

The statement released at the end of the summit on Friday criticized China on many of these issues.

It included an accusation against Beijing of sending dual-use materials to Russia, which it said were helping the war effort in Ukraine.

On Monday China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the statement had “slandered and attacked China”.

It had “rehashed cliches that have no factual basis, no legal basis, and no moral justification, and are full of arrogance, prejudice and lies,” he said at a regular press briefing.

The Group of Seven,  made up of the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Britain and Italy, had also taken aim at what it called “dangerous” incursions by China in the South China Sea.

Worries of a military escalation between China and its neighbors are rising, and on Monday Philippine and Chinese vessels collided near the Second Thomas Shoal, according to the Chinese Coast Guard.

“We oppose China’s militarization, and coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea,” read the G7 statement, using stronger language than at last year’s summit in Japan.
…