G7 foreign ministers took a tough stance on China on Friday, stepping up language on Taiwan and omitting some conciliatory references from past statements, including to "one China" policies.

China has lashed out at accusations it is endangering maritime safety made by top diplomats from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies.

The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries have condemned China's aggressive maritime actions in the Indo-Pacific region."We condemn China's illicit, provocative, coercive and dangerous actions that seek unilaterally to alter the status quo in such a way as to risk undermining the stability of regions,