'Good riddance,' China says as Germany leaves UN Security Council
Germany's UN envoy Christoph Heusgen during his last scheduled UN Security Council meeting, appealed to China to free two detained Canadians for Christmas
"Let me end my tenure on the Security Council by appealing to my Chinese colleagues to ask Beijing for the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Christmas is the right moment for such a gesture," Heusgen, who plans to retire after more than 40 years as a diplomat, said.
China's deputy UN envoy to respond promptly, "out of the bottom of my heart: Good riddance."
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald #Dec23
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/good-riddance-china-says-as-germany-leaves-un-security-council-20201223-p56ppb.html
#GermanyUNEnvoy #ChinaHostageDiplomacy #China #Canada
Germany's UN envoy Christoph Heusgen during his last scheduled UN Security Council meeting, appealed to China to free two detained Canadians for Christmas
"Let me end my tenure on the Security Council by appealing to my Chinese colleagues to ask Beijing for the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Christmas is the right moment for such a gesture," Heusgen, who plans to retire after more than 40 years as a diplomat, said.
China's deputy UN envoy to respond promptly, "out of the bottom of my heart: Good riddance."
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald #Dec23
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/good-riddance-china-says-as-germany-leaves-un-security-council-20201223-p56ppb.html
#GermanyUNEnvoy #ChinaHostageDiplomacy #China #Canada
Canada launches 58-nation initiative to stop arbitrary detentions
On 15 Feb, Canada launched a 58-nation initiative to stop countries from detaining foreign citizens for diplomatic leverage. Other signatories include Japan, Britain, Australia and virtually all members of the 27-nation European Union.
Even the declaration does not target any nation, a Canadian official said the initiative had been sparked by concern over arrests of foreigners by China, Iran, Russia and North Korea. Also, the declaration could help put pressure on Beijing.
The Canadian initiative was started last year by Francois-Philippe Champagne, Garneau’s predecessor. Champagne said by working together nations could better focus attention on the detainees.
Source: Reuters #Feb15
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-diplomacy-detainees-idUSKBN2AF0NV
#Canada #ChinaHostageDiplomacy #58NationInitiative
On 15 Feb, Canada launched a 58-nation initiative to stop countries from detaining foreign citizens for diplomatic leverage. Other signatories include Japan, Britain, Australia and virtually all members of the 27-nation European Union.
Even the declaration does not target any nation, a Canadian official said the initiative had been sparked by concern over arrests of foreigners by China, Iran, Russia and North Korea. Also, the declaration could help put pressure on Beijing.
The Canadian initiative was started last year by Francois-Philippe Champagne, Garneau’s predecessor. Champagne said by working together nations could better focus attention on the detainees.
Source: Reuters #Feb15
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-diplomacy-detainees-idUSKBN2AF0NV
#Canada #ChinaHostageDiplomacy #58NationInitiative
Senior Liberal MP urges Trudeau cabinet to ‘wake up and smell the roses’ on China
The Liberal chair of the Commons finance committee says a budget recommendation calling on Ottawa to pull out of the Beijing-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank should serve as a “wake up and smell the roses” moment for Canada.
Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who also served as solicitor-general under Jean Chrétien in charge of Canada’s security agencies, said that Canada needs to recognize the serious threat China poses to western democracies. He also criticized the fact that universities are still conducting research projects with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei.
The Globe and Mail reported Monday that the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), a federal agency, is collaborating with the Canadian arm of Huawei to fund the studies.
Source: The Globe and mail #Feb16
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-senior-liberal-mp-urges-trudeau-cabinet-to-wake-up-and-smell-the-roses/
#Canada #ChinaHostageDiplomacy
The Liberal chair of the Commons finance committee says a budget recommendation calling on Ottawa to pull out of the Beijing-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank should serve as a “wake up and smell the roses” moment for Canada.
Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who also served as solicitor-general under Jean Chrétien in charge of Canada’s security agencies, said that Canada needs to recognize the serious threat China poses to western democracies. He also criticized the fact that universities are still conducting research projects with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei.
The Globe and Mail reported Monday that the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), a federal agency, is collaborating with the Canadian arm of Huawei to fund the studies.
Source: The Globe and mail #Feb16
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-senior-liberal-mp-urges-trudeau-cabinet-to-wake-up-and-smell-the-roses/
#Canada #ChinaHostageDiplomacy
The Globe and Mail
Senior Liberal MP urges Trudeau cabinet to ‘wake up and smell the roses’ on China
Universities have defended working with Huawei by saying that Ottawa hasn’t told them not to
12 Japanese firms will end business deals involving Uighur forced labour
Last year (2020), the Australian Strategic Policy Institute report identified over 80 global companies “directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uighur workers outside Xinjiang through abusive labou\r transfer program.” And it mentioned 14 Japanese companies.
12 Japanese companies, including Sony Corp., Hitachi Ltd., and Fast Retailing Co., an operator of Uniqlo, responded to cease or consider ceasing business with business partners found to be using forced labour.
As many foreign companies rely on self-reporting of the human rights situation by the firms themselves, they are faced with the challenge of grasping the situation beyond direct business partners.
Source: The Japan Times #Feb22
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/22/business/corporate-business/uighurs-japan-companies/ #uk
#Japan #ASPI #ForcedLabour #Xinjiang #ChinaHostageDiplomacy
Last year (2020), the Australian Strategic Policy Institute report identified over 80 global companies “directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uighur workers outside Xinjiang through abusive labou\r transfer program.” And it mentioned 14 Japanese companies.
12 Japanese companies, including Sony Corp., Hitachi Ltd., and Fast Retailing Co., an operator of Uniqlo, responded to cease or consider ceasing business with business partners found to be using forced labour.
As many foreign companies rely on self-reporting of the human rights situation by the firms themselves, they are faced with the challenge of grasping the situation beyond direct business partners.
Source: The Japan Times #Feb22
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/22/business/corporate-business/uighurs-japan-companies/ #uk
#Japan #ASPI #ForcedLabour #Xinjiang #ChinaHostageDiplomacy
Canada says citizens held in China have not been tried in case linked to Huawei
Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor have been confined by China since December 10, 2018, just days after Canada detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
In Dec 2020, Canada said it had confirmed with China that a pair of Canadians held for two years in China in a case linked to a Huawei executive have not been put on trial.
Chinese prosecutors announced earlier 2020 that Kovrig had been charged on suspicion of spying for state secrets and intelligence, and Spavor on suspicion of spying for a foreign entity and illegally providing state secrets.
Source: NBCN News #Dec10
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/two-canadians-have-been-indicted-tried-case-linked-huawei-executive-n1250677
#Canada #TwoMichael #ChinaHostageDiplomacy #China
Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor have been confined by China since December 10, 2018, just days after Canada detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
In Dec 2020, Canada said it had confirmed with China that a pair of Canadians held for two years in China in a case linked to a Huawei executive have not been put on trial.
Chinese prosecutors announced earlier 2020 that Kovrig had been charged on suspicion of spying for state secrets and intelligence, and Spavor on suspicion of spying for a foreign entity and illegally providing state secrets.
Source: NBCN News #Dec10
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/two-canadians-have-been-indicted-tried-case-linked-huawei-executive-n1250677
#Canada #TwoMichael #ChinaHostageDiplomacy #China