Canada urges China to grant access to investigations in Xinjiang province
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, OTTAWA — The Canadian government is urging China to grant access to investigations in Xinjiang province into alleged human rights abuses against Uyghur tennis players in the region.
“We urge China to allow immediate, meaningful and unrestricted access to Xinjiang for independent observers,” Canadian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Leslie Norton told a meeting of the Human Rights Council. United Nations Rights (HRC). ).
Norton also called on China to immediately implement the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination regarding Xinjiang, including ending the arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. Ottawa and Beijing have clashed over alleged human rights abuses as relations between the two countries have continued to deteriorate.
Earlier, Jiang Duan, China’s UNHRC envoy, called for an investigation into Canada’s record of human rights abuses against the country’s indigenous people. The appeal points to the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the site of the former Indian Housing School.
“We call for a thorough and impartial investigation of all cases where crimes are committed against indigenous peoples, especially children,” Duan said.
Responding to China’s remarks, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the difference between the two countries is that while Canada comes to terms with its bad past, Beijing chooses to cover up ongoing abuses. He called the reconciliation journey a very long one, but it was a journey the country was on, unlike China.
“China doesn’t even realize there is a problem in Xinjiang. It’s a pretty fundamental difference,” Trudeau said at a news conference.
Relations between Canada and China soured after Ottawa detained Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wenzhou in 2018 at the request of the United States (US). At that time, China was said to be facing suspicion by arresting Canadians accused of espionage (espionage) activities in China.
The strained relationship has been further exacerbated by Canada’s criticism of China’s national security laws in Hong Kong. Chinese officials have claimed that Canada’s respect for US foreign policy has been the catalyst for a growing diplomatic rift.
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