Canadian House of Representatives “China, massacre Uyghurs… Beijing Olympics should boycott”

The Canadian Parliament has adopted a resolution calling for a change in the venue of the Beijing Winter Olympics, claiming that China is committing a’massacre’ against the Uighurs, a minority ethnic group.

According to the BBC on the 23rd (local time), the resolution, initiated by the Canadian opposition Conservative Party, passed virtually unanimously in the Canadian House of Representatives with 226 votes in favor and 0 votes against. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others voted abstention.

Although there is no binding force, the resolution made Canada the second country after the United States to define China’s repression of Uighurs as a “genocide,” Reuters reported. Earlier last month, the U.S. State Department announced that China’s policy targeting Muslims and minorities in Xinjiang was genocide.

On that day, the Canadian House of Representatives also adopted a revised resolution calling for the Canadian International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change the venue for next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics if the massacre of the Uighurs continues.

Erin O’Toole, head of the Conservative Party of Canada’s No. 1 opposition party, encouraged a vote in favor, saying, “Even at the expense of economic opportunities (with China), we will stand up for the dignity of human rights.

According to the Associated Press, O’Tul said on the 16th (local time) that the Chinese government is killing more than 1 million Uighurs in Xinjiang, saying, “Canada should not close their eyes to such a massacre.”

He added that China is making Hong Kong a’police state’ and is detaining two Canadians. If there is no discussion about changing the venue for the Beijing Winter Olympics, it is necessary to consider a plan for Canada to boycott the event.

However, Prime Minister Trudeau is cautious. “There is no objection to the fact that tremendous human rights violations have taken place in Xinjiang, China, and we are very concerned,” he said. “The issue of applying the specific word massacre requires careful judgment.” Prime Minister Trudeau’s ruling Liberal Party, which held 154 seats in the House of Representatives, entrusted the vote of the motion to the individual members’ free will.

Regarding the resolution of the resolution, Chinese Ambassador Chung Pei-wu to Canada protested, saying, “This is an interference with domestic affairs in China.”

European countries such as the UK and Germany also criticized China’s suppression of minority ethnic groups on the 22nd (local time).

According to Reuters, British Foreign Minister Dominic Rab accused the United Nations Human Rights Council of torture, forced labor, and abortion against Uyghurs on an “industrial scale”. He said, “The situation in Xinjiang is out of the way.”

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mas said, “Our commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights does not leave room for arbitrary detention of minorities or China’s oppression of the freedom of Hong Kong citizens.”

Regarding this, Wang Yi, a member of the State Council in charge of China’s foreign affairs and foreign affairs minister, said, “There has never been a so-called genocide, forced labor, or religious oppression in Xinjiang. At the same time, he said, “The door to Xinjiang is always open” in response to the visitation investigation underway by the UN Human Rights Office. However, Reuters reported that he did not mention the specific schedule.

Reporter Seo Yujin [email protected]