Hong Kong Watch urges Prime Minister Carney to uphold human rights during Beijing visit

Today, Hong Kong Watch Canada urged the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, to use his upcoming visit to Beijing to raise concerns over the human rights record of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The visit marks the first visit to China by a Canadian prime minister in eight years, following a period of strained relations between the two countries over trade disputes, transnational repression, and the retaliatory imprisonment of two Canadian citizens following the arrest of a Huawei executive in Canada.

The Prime Minister’s official statement stated that the purpose of the visit is to ‘elevate engagement on trade, energy, agriculture, and international security’, and to reduce Canadian economic dependence on the United States by doubling non-US exports.

Hong Kong Watch urges Prime Minister Carney to use this opportunity to press the Beijing government on repression against Hong Kongers in Canada and in Hong Kong, which is home to an estimated 300,000 Canadian citizens. The Prime Minister should also call for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai and all Hong Kong political prisoners detained for exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms.

Transnational repression by the PRC has become a pressing issue in Canada. During last years’ election campaign, the PRC-linked repression campaign was accused of harassing Joe Tay, a Hong Kong-Canadian Conservative Party candidate and pro-democracy activist. Prime Minister Carney should use this opportunity to raise the issue of transnational repression directly with President Xi Jinping, and clearly indicate that Canadian national security and the protection of Canadian citizens takes precedence over promises of increased investment and trade.

The Prime Minister should also raise concerns over the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy, and the destruction of rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong under the 2020 National Security Law and 2024 Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. As analysed by Hong Kong Watch research, these laws pose serious risks for Canadian businesses and individuals operating in Hong Kong.

Finally, the Prime Minister should raise concerns about Hong Kong’s role in sanctions evasion, including the supply of sanctioned technology and material to the Russian military. The Canadian government should demonstrate that it will not tolerate the violation of sanctions imposed by Canada and its allies in the name of national security.

Senator Leo Housakos, Patron of Hong Kong Watch and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, commented:

“As many countries have discovered, including those in the European Union, increased trade with the PRC does not mean improved diplomatic relations. For the CCP, trade and investment is simply leverage with which to threaten other countries not to speak out about human rights abuse, transnational repression, and flagrant sanctions violations. At the very least, the Prime Minister must use this opportunity to send a clear message about Canada’s fundamental values and show that he is not willing to turn a blind eye to abuse in the name of trade.”

Landson Chan, Advocacy and Communications Officer of Hong Kong Watch, commented:

“The Prime Minister should use this opportunity to call unequivocally for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai and all Hong Kong political prisoners who are being detained simply for exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms. Silence or ambiguity only emboldens repression and undermines Canada’s commitment to human rights.”

加總理卡尼即將訪中  香港監察促請以人權及加拿大國家安全為先  要求釋放黎智英

加拿大總理卡尼（Mark Carney）即將訪問北京，加拿大香港監察今天促請他藉機要求中國關注人權。

今次訪問是八年來加拿大總理首次到訪中國，之前兩國由於貿易爭端、跨國鎮壓，以及兩名加拿大公民因華為高層在加拿大被捕而受到報復式拘留，關係一度緊張。

總理的官方聲明稱，今次訪問的目的是「增進在貿易、能源、農業和國際安全領域上的交流合作」，並透過對非美國出口額提高一倍，減少加拿大對美國的經濟依賴。

香港監察促請總理卡尼利用今次機會，就香港人在加拿大和香港（估計有30萬加拿大公民居於香港）受到的打壓向北京政府施壓。總理亦應呼籲立即釋放黎智英，以及所有因行使基本權利和自由而被扣押的香港政治犯。

中國跨國鎮壓已成為加拿大急需應對的問題。去年聯邦大選競選期間，有指控指牽連中國的打壓行動騷擾港裔加拿大保守黨候選人、民主活動人士鄭敬基。總理卡尼應藉機直接向中國國家主席習近平提出跨國鎮壓問題，並明確表示加拿大國家安全和公民保護凌駕在增加投資和貿易的承諾之上。

總理亦應就香港自治受損，以及2020年《國家安全法》和2024年《維護國家安全條例》對香港權利和基本自由的破壞提出憂慮。正如香港監察的研究分析所指，這些法例對在香港經營的加拿大企業和人士構成嚴重風險。

最後，總理應就香港在規避制裁上的角色提出關注，包括向俄羅斯軍方提供受制裁的技術和物資。加拿大政府應表明，絕不容忍以國家安全為名違反加拿大及盟國實施的制裁。

香港監察贊助人、加拿大參議員兼參議院反對黨領袖Senator Leo Housakos表示：

「正如很多國家所發現，包括歐盟國家，與中國的貿易增加並不代表外交關係有所改善。對中共來說，貿易和投資只是用來威脅其他國家不要就侵害人權、跨國鎮壓和公然違反制裁行為發聲的工具。總理最低限度必須利用今次機會，就加拿大的基本價值傳遞清晰信息，表明他不會以貿易之名對侵權行為視而不見。」

香港監察倡議及傳訊主任Landson Chan表示：

「總理應該利用今次機會，明確呼籲立即釋放黎智英及所有只因行使基本權利和自由而被扣押的香港政治犯。沉默或模稜兩可只會助長打壓，破壞加拿大對人權的承諾。」

Photo: World Economic Forum from Cologny, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons