Prime Minister Justin Trudeau begins his first official visit to China as groups at home call on him to support the human rights of the Chinese people, call for the release of prisoners of conscience, and help end repressive actions that have crossed into Canada.
A coalition of groups including Amnesty International is calling on Trudeau to make human rights an integral part of Canada’s relationship with China. While trade is the obvious priority, Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, said it shouldn’t be the only priority.
“[Human rights] is absolutely THE question that comes up every single time a Canadian prime minister goes to China or a Chinese leader visits Canada,” Neve told reporters on Parliament Hill on Aug. 30.
“We look to the prime minister to champion an end to the range of human rights violations that are the daily reality for millions and millions of Chinese,” he said.
The Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China, which includes Tibetan, Uyghur, and Chinese democracy groups, as well as Canada-Hong Kong Link and the Falun Dafa Association of Canada, wants a new approach that will see human rights raised in every venue and platform. And that becomes especially important in the case of any future trade deals.
Canada-China Relations: Comprehensive Rights Strategy Needed, Says Amnesty
Coalition wants feds to put human rights at the core of all dealings with China
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Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, speaks at a press conference on Parliament Hill on Aug. 30, 2016. A coalition of groups including AI is calling on Prime Minister Trudeau to make human rights an integral part of Canada's relationship with China. Jonathen Ren/NTD Television
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Trade will be a clearly dominant theme during this visit, but it cannot be divorced from human rights.
, Amnesty International Canada
