generalspeaking

Canada Overdue to Protest Beijing's CCP Bullying

"This deeply worrying trend is clearly part of a longstanding and systematic campaign to silence public debate on serious human rights concerns in China which increasingly extends far beyond China’s borders,"
"Canadian officials – including the federal government, intelligence agencies and many law enforcement bodies – have been aware of these issues for many years but have failed to pursue effective action. It’s time for a coordinated government approach to protect the rights of those raising awareness in Canada of serious human rights issues in China."
Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada’s English Branch.

"So far, the responses from Canadian officials have been piecemeal, at best."
"A number of individuals who have faced harassment and intimidation tell us they no longer bother reporting  incidents of this nature to Canadian authorities – either because they think it will not help, or they fear it will make it worse, particularly for loved ones in China, if the Chinese government were to find out."
"This puts an unacceptable chilling effect on free expression and other fundamental freedoms in Canada."
France-Isabelle Langlois, Directrice generale of Amnistie internationale Canada francophone

Speaking at an online panel to a newly-published Amnesty International Canada report on Chinese Communist Party activities in Canada were (top left, clockwise): Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada; Cheuk Kwan, of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China; Gloria Fung, of Canada-Hong Kong Link; Mehmet Tohti, of the Canadian Uyghur Society; Sheng Xue, of the Federation for a Democratic China; and Chemi Lhamo, on behalf of the Canada Tibet Committee and Students for a Free Tibet

"Uighur individuals living in Canada have faced threats of retaliation against their relatives in Xinjiang as a result of their activism. Chinese state agents have also engaged in deceitful attempts to lure Uighurs living abroad back to China."
"Uighurs in Canada have been unable to seek out information about family members, who have presumably been arrested and detained in internment camps in Xinjiang, due to fears of retaliation by the Chinese state."
Coalition Report

"Members of our community are self-censoring for the fear of going through what I had to go through,"

"It’s us here today but tomorrow it could be all of us including you and your families. It’s time to hold China accountable for their human rights violations and start caring about Canadians and their well-being."
Tibetan-Canadian student leader Chemi Lhamo

Flags of Canada and China  Jason Lee/Pool Photo via AP

China has employed all means at its disposal through subtle outreach in the international community to integrate its public relations arms into other countries, infiltrating academic settings, political groups, news agencies in a bid to present a favourable picture of the ruling Chinese Communist Party and its activities. Beijing has let it be known that it expects all its citizens at home or abroad, and all its businesses to act as envoys for China.

At the same time its diplomatic corps have turned a new defensive-offensive tack against any criticism of China for whatever reason. With China buying loyalty through its massive investments abroad, and its cultural-heritage ventures to give the country a higher profile and approval rating, its stealth inroads in interfering with the internal affairs of other countries, and its use of Chinese citizens and groups abroad to intimidate and threaten its critics from Hong Kong, Tibetans and Uighurs living in Canada has not entirely gone unnoticed.

The current Liberal government in Canada appears uninclined to 'notice', much less react to these provocations, of a China shrilly accusing other countries of interfering in China's internal affairs, and more latterly holding it responsible for the global pandemic through its laxity in responsibility for informing the global community about the emerging presence of an epidemic, downplaying its virulence after denying its existence, to which charges Beijing accuses 'racism'.

Now, a coalition of human rights groups has called once again on the Canadian government to appoint a front-line contact where people and groups enduring harassment and intimidation resulting from advocacy and activism on China, can turn to for support and assistance. In a report released by the Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China, an outline of increasing interference against Canadian activists for raising serious rights awareness issues in China, is meant to alert and engage the Canadian government.

In their report, the Coalition recommends that Canadian authorities:

• appoint a centralized focal point within the government to be the primary frontline contact for individuals and groups facing harassment and intimidation linked to activism on human rights concerns in China;
• maintain highlevel diplomatic engagement with China on the harassment and intimidation issue;
• continually reassess economic and trade ties with China and prioritize human rights concerns in their bilateral relationship;
• work with other governments to rase concerns about Chinese human rights violations;
• affirm its opposition to these violations of normal diplomatic practice;
• establish an independent public inquiry into methods and incidents of interference specific to the education sector; and
• examine legislation in other jurisdictions countering covert foreign interference and consider enacting similar legislation in Canada.

Chinese authorities, stresses the coalition, exerted influence in a number of Canadian communities in which they include elected officials, Canadian media outlets, social media and academic institutions. The appointment of a proposed point person or group within the Canadian government would act as an intervenor, receiving complaints from the public to collect data on incidents, and to analyze trends and coordinate an official response to harassment issues.

Any cases that fit the description of criminal activity could be referred to law enforcement agencies, with action taken against any Chinese diplomats who abuse their status in the country. Canada, presses the coalition, should clearly, forcefully confirm it has no intention of tolerating violations of normal diplomatic practice, much less interference with the human rights of people living in Canada on the part of the Chinese government.

Chinese state-sponsored campaigns to plague Tibetan-Canadians, Uighur-Canadians, Falun Gong practitioners, Hong Kong-Canadians, pro-democracy activists and other human rights defenders working on China-related issues consistent with Beijing's policies of intimidation and threats are simply not to be tolerated in Canada. Under the current Liberal government reaction to Chinese provocations and ill-doing targeting Canadians has been less than robust.

Which has given Beijing the impression that its bullying tactics will bear no cost, leading to an increase in its overt activities interfering in Canadian affairs at every level of influence it has over the years attained. "We Canadians should be able to exercise our freedom of expression on Canadian soil without fear", stated Gloria Fung of the group Canada-Hong Kong Link.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's response when asked to comment on allegations of Chinese interference, was to state that Canada will continue to protect the right to free speech and protest; words that have failed to be supported by action. Leading the coalition to assert that individuals experiencing threats, intimidation and interference require a co-ordinated, comprehensive response from Canada, to Chinese provocations.