Canadian Delegation's China Visit Amid Foreign Interference Inquiry Raises Eyebrows
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A group of 5 Canadian MPs and senators visited China while a federal inquiry on foreign interference was underway back home. The group included independent MP Han Dong, who has faced allegations of Chinese interference.
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Critics say the visit was inappropriate given the inquiry and China's human rights issues, like the imprisonment of the "Two Michaels" and repression of Uyghurs. The visit seemed naive, counterintuitive and badly timed.
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The delegation met with China's National People's Congress, a non-democratic body that rubber stamps Communist Party policies. Some members of the group have downplayed concerns about Chinese interference in Canada.
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MP Don Davies has paralleled Beijing's narratives and was rebuked for suggesting the arrest of Huawei's Meng Wanzhou was political. Senator Victor Oh argues a foreign influence registry would be discriminatory.
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Canada's ambassador to China praised the visit for "fostering people-to-people ties and seeking areas of cooperation." But others question the intent and say human rights seem unimportant.