Canadian panel calls for ‘targeted sanctions’ on China

A Canadian parliamentary committee has called upon the government to work with like-minded countries to impose “targeted sanctions” on Chinese officials “responsible for or complicit in gross violations of human rights, freedoms and the rule of law in Hong Kong”. The report released by the House of Commons special committee on Canada-China relations, also said that in “light of the allegations of threats and intimidation against people in Canada supporting human rights and democracy in Hong Kong, the government of Canada carefully review accredited diplomatic personnel in the People’s Republic of China’s diplomatic missions to Canada”.

The report from the panel is the latest flashpoint in escalating tensions between Canada and China. Bilateral ties began spiralling downwards ever since Canadian authorities arrested Meng Wanzhou, CFO of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, in Vancouver in 2018 on an extradition request from the US for alleged fraud and violation of sanctions placed on Iran.The panel is headed by Geoff Regan, a member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ruling Liberal Party caucus. Earlier this week, Canada’s House of Commons had passed a motion that labelled Chinese actions against Uighurs in Xinjiang a “genocide”.It had also passed an amendment to the motion calling on the International Olympic Committee to move the 2022 Winter Olympic Games from China to another country.