September 8, Chinese state media reported that among the people accompanying the Chinese President Hu Jintao to visit Canada, the current Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai disappears from the name list.
On September 8, Chinese state media Xinhua Net reported that the dedicated plane for Chinese president Hu Jintao’s North America visit left Beijing on the 8th. Among those accompanying his trip are: Hu’s wife Liu Yongqing, State Council member Tang Jiaxuan, Foreign Affairs Minister Li Zhaoxing, deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Yang Jiehu, and deputy Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong etc.
The Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, whom Canadian Falun Gong practitioners have appealed to bar entry is not on the name list.
During the ongoing persecution against Falun Gong which started in July 1999, Bo was former mayor and Communist party head of Dalian City, Liaoning Province and Governor of Liaoning Province. During this time, hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners were reportedly killed, many others were arrested, detained, tortured and sent to forced labour camps without trial in the province. In February 2004, he became the Minister of Commerce of China.
On August 26, Falun Dafa Association of Canada held a press conference in the Ottawa Parliament to appeal to the Canadian government to bar entry of Bo Xilai, and Deputy Governor of Liaoning Province Xia Deren who had been sued for Crimes Against Humanity.
According to report by World Journal in Toronto’s report on September 5, Chinese high level officials to visit Canada with the Chinese president are: State Council member Tang Jiaxuan, Foreign Affairs Minister Li Zhaoxing, and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai etc. The New York China Press also reported on August 20 that key people accompanying Hu’s visit are: high level communist officials including Foreign Affairs Minister Li Zhaoxing, and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai etc.
The Minister of Commerce whose name was on Chinese president’s North American trip was put on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s watch list of 45 people for his role in the persecution of Falun Gong in January 2004.
On August 25, International human rights lawyer David Matas wrote to Canadian Minister of Security, Minister of Immigration and Citizenship, and Minister of Foreign Affairs to refuse to issue visa to Bo Xilai and Xiaderen. The letter states that “This request is based on the (related) Canadian (laws) of anti-crimes against humanity and war crimes, and Canada’s responsibility to international laws.”
On June 8, 2004, Falun Gong practitioners in Poland submitted a case to sue Bo for Crimes Against Humanity and Torture for persecuting Falun Gong. This was the first legal case in which a high level foreign official is sued.
On July 28, the U.S. District of Columbia court found Bo and Xia liable for torture and genocide.
Currently, Bo Xilai has been sued in U.K., Poland, Romania, Russia, U.S., Peru, Chili etc by Falun Gong practitioners.
Feeds