China tried swaying MPs condemning its human rights record: report
China tried swaying MP votes condemning their mistreatment of Muslims, testimony at the Foreign Interference Commission (FIC) revealed.
Documents tabled Wednesday by Canadian intelligence agencies revealed Beijing (PRC) made “initial” efforts to influence an unspecified number of MPs. In particular, when it came to a 2021 motion recognizing the country’s treatment of Uyghur and Turkic Muslim minorities as “genocide.”
While the House of Commons motion passed unanimously, Beijing built “profiles” on MPs who supported the motion, reported the National Post.
“This research may have informed the PRC’s decision to impose economic sanctions on some of those MPs or may have informed other actions,” reads a summary of intelligence.
WATCH: Sheila Gunn Reid discusses testimony by MP Michael Chong to the foreign interference inquiry. The CPC rep stated he had no idea he was being targeted by the CCP for his comments on the Chinese government's crimes against Uyghur Muslims.https://t.co/bzsB0Fkrdh
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 8, 2024
A CSIS management brief issued May 31, 2021 revealed then Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and MP Michael Chong were the target of Chinese interference. The latter only learned of the foreign surveillance last spring.
MP Chong was earlier profiled by Chinese assets over his public condemnation of China’s human rights record. They also profiled his relatives in Hong Kong, intelligence showed.
Hours after exclusive media reports were published last May, senior government and intelligence officials offered MP Chong a security briefing on the efforts against him. He condemned the ordeal as “gross negligence.”
“I think they should be providing this information because it will allow those parliamentarians to take actions, to protect themselves, to be situationally aware. I think that’s so important,” he said Wednesday.
WATCH: A reporter grills Justin Trudeau on why Canada's Parliament can say China is committing genocide against its Uyghur population, but he won't.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) November 14, 2022
After stalling, Trudeau says "designations of genocide need to be made by proper international authorities." pic.twitter.com/GuhwCF8esK
Independent MP Han Dong, accused of benefiting from Chinese interference during a 2019 nomination race, has twice missed parliamentary votes declaring Beijing's treatment of Muslims a “genocide."
On February 1, 2022, two Quebec Liberal MPs tabled a motion underscoring the atrocities. It said members of the diaspora face incredible pressure to return to China to face arbitrary detention, forced labour and torture.
While the motion passed with the unanimous consent of 322 MPs, MP Dong missed the vote despite being present for his government's childcare legislation. He returned to the Chamber following the vote.
The Liberal MP previously missed a vote declaring China's treatment of Uyghurs a genocide. At the time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet abstained from the vote, whereas none voted against it.
CPC's lawyer is asking Dong why he abstained from the Uyghur genocide motion.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) April 2, 2024
Dong says he is not convinced of a Uyghur genocide.
