Alliance Canada Hong Kong
Alliance Canada Hong Kong calls on the Government of Canada to invoke Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Sanctions) against individuals who are directly responsible for the human rights atrocities happening in Tibet, occupied East Turkestan (Xinjiang), and Hong Kong.
Writers:
We, the undersigned, condemn the Chinese government’s attempt to illegitimately implement a “national security” law in Hong Kong by circumventing the legislative process.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese Communist Party is dismantling Hong Kong’s political and press freedoms. We are alarmed by this blatant violation of Hong Kong’s Basic Law Article 18, which experts and activists are interpreting as the death of “One Country, Two Systems” and Hong Kong’s autonomy. The “national security law” is another attempt to silence dissidents and to forcibly impose the Chinese Communist Party’s rule in Hong Kong.
Beijing’s complete disregard for the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a binding international agreement, is reflective of their agenda. The Chinese State has demonstrated that they have no interest in adhering to international norms, but plans to rewrite the rules and reshuffle the international order in their favour.
Hong Kong is no longer an autonomous region, and therefore must be treated as such. We demand the Canadian government and the international community to immediately revoke Hong Kong’s special administrative status by terminating treaties that offer it preferential treatment, starting with the extradition treaty. We must consider Hong Kong’s democratic future outside of the confines of the One-China fantasy.
Canada must stand against the Chinese party-state’s global authoritarian control, both overseas and at home. Beijing has been increasingly exerting pressure within Canada and other nations to mute criticism of its human rights violations and mishandlings of the COVID pandemic. We must stand together as an international community to voice support for the Hong Kong people and our own rights and freedoms.
Signatories:
International Solidarity:
On Friday June 26, 2020, ACHK submitted a detailed policy brief to the Government of Canada, Foreign Affairs and 10 MPs. This brief was developed in collaboration with immigration lawyers, policy experts, and the Hong Kong-Canada diaspora communities. We identified program options that will allow Hong Kongers to seek safety in Canada via refugee, immigration, and employment pathways.
Writers:
Alliance Canada Hong Kong Core Team
Alliance Canada Hong Kong Research Team
Ai-Men Lau
Contributors:
Avvy Go
Fr. Richard Soo, SJ
Stand with Hong Kong
VSSDM
OTTAWA, ON (June 25, 2020) – Alliance Canada Hong Kong (ACHK) condemns hostage diplomacy and calls attention to the 123 detained Canadians in China. We demand that the Canadian government commit itself to protecting our citizens abroad. With the Meng Wanzhou case, the Chinese government is trying to lure Canada into a hostage situation, where the lives and safety of Canadians are used as a bargaining chip to trade political favours.
Engaging in hostage diplomacy sets a dangerous precedent that will put a target on all Canadians abroad. Since Meng’s arrest, thirteen Canadians have been detained in China, and Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig are isolated as the primary targets of the Chinese government. If Canada compromises in favour of the Chinese government, it shows that any hostile foreign country can hold Canadians hostage to threaten and pressure the Canadian government into compliance. We must not accept the Chinese government’s hostage-taking and let it diminish Canada’s autonomy and strength on the international stage.
Beijing has deliberately tried to alienate itself from the international community. In 2017, Xi Jinping spoke about his global ambitions and Beijing’s role to “guide the international community to jointly build a more just and reasonably new world order.” The Chinese Communist Party has been rewriting global order in their favour: exporting its authoritarian control onto democratic societies.
Canada must take a strong and principled stance, driving a multilateral approach to take a united stance against China’s systematic hostage diplomacy. The international community needs to stand together in calling for the release of global citizens who are imprisoned for politically-driven reasons in China.
It is undeniable that the Chinese government is holding foreign nationals hostage as chips to bargain with democratic governments. We believe in the unity of democratic societies and our international allies. Canada must stand with our allies, rather than kneeling before Beijing’s autocracy. Other nations are looking to our example.
Instead, ACHK recommends the following policy solutions:
1. Launch a coordinated response with other democratic societies to demand the release of foreign nationals who are arrested for politically motivated crimes;
2. Investigate the feasibility of bringing back Canadians via international institutional avenues, such as the International Court of Justice & Human Rights Council;
3. Investigate and combat foreign interference into Canadian institutions, through a national registry of foreign agents and national foreign influence transparency legislation.
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ACHK supports and welcomes Taiwanese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Chinese, and other communities who are suffering from persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. ACHK stands in solidarity with Indigenous and marginalized communities both within Canada and abroad. alliancecanadahk.com | [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON (May 21, 2020) – Alliance Canada Hong Kong (ACHK) condemns the Chinese government’s attempt to illegitimately push through a “national security” law in Hong Kong by circumventing the legislative process.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese Communist Party is dismantling Hong Kong’s political and press freedoms. We are alarmed by this blatant violation of Hong Kong’s Basic Law Article 18, which experts and activists are interpreting as the death of “One Country, Two Systems” and Hong Kong’s autonomy.
Beijing’s complete disregard for the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a binding international agreement, is reflective of their agenda. The Chinese State has demonstrated that they have no interest in adhering to international norms, but plans to rewrite the rules and reshuffle the international order in their favour.
Hong Kong is no longer an autonomous region, and therefore must be treated as such. We demand the Canadian government and the international community to immediately revoke Hong Kong’s special administrative status. We must consider Hong Kong’s democratic future outside of the confines of the One-China fantasy.
Canada must stand against the Chinese party-state’s global authoritarian control, both overseas and at home. Beijing has been increasingly exerting pressure within Canada and other nations to mute criticism of its human rights violations and mishandlings of the COVID pandemic. We must stand together as an international community to voice support for the Hong Kong people and our own rights and freedoms.
—
ACHK supports and welcomes Taiwanese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Chinese, and other communities who are suffering from persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. ACHK stands in solidarity with Indigenous and marginalized communities both within Canada and abroad. alliancecanadahk.com | [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON (April 19, 2020) – Alliance Canada Hong Kong (ACHK) condemns the mass-arrest and charges of 15 pro-democracy leaders in Hong Kong on April 18th.
“We are outraged by the arrests, which are an act of intimidation and harassment against political opponents,” said Cherie Wong, ACHK’s Executive Director. “Beijing has no intention to hide their oppressive agenda. Instead, the Chinese party-state is weaponizing law enforcement to suppress political differences.”
The arrests of Martin Lee, Margaret Ng, Jimmy Lai, Leung Yiu-chung, Avery Ng, Lee Cheuk-yan, Leung Kwok-hung (“long hair”), Albert Ho, Figo Chan, Sin Chung-kai, Cyd Ho, Au Nok-hin, Yeung Sum, Raphael Wong, and Richard Tsoi reveal Beijing’s plan to silence Hong Kong’s opposition and impose a draconian “national security law” (Article 23) in advance of September’s Hong Kong Legislative Council elections.
ACHK is disgusted by the arrest of veteran activists Martin Lee (age 81), Margaret Ng (72), and Jimmy Lai (71), who are particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. These arrests are not only a blatant violation of these activists’ fundamental rights and freedoms, but also a threat to their health and safety.
ACHK calls for the immediate unconditional release and dismissal of charges for all of the pro-democracy activists.
“We cannot let Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong continue under the cover of COVID-19,” said Alex Ra Lee, ACHK’s Director of Strategy and Policy. “Canadians must remember that Beijing’s reach extends not only into Hong Kong, but into Canada as well. We must stand with our friends in Hong Kong by holding Chinese officials accountable for human rights atrocities and police brutality, and providing humanitarian support to all of those seeking asylum from the Chinese Communist Party.”
ACHK recently issued Five Demands for the Canadian Government and invites all Canadians to Stand with Hong Kong by joining their campaign.
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ACHK supports and welcomes Taiwanese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Chinese, and other communities who are suffering from persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. ACHK stands in solidarity with Indigenous and marginalized communities both within Canada and abroad. alliancecanadahk.com | [email protected]
Alliance Canada Hong Kong (ACHK) stands in solidarity with medical professionals in Hong Kong, China, and around the globe. Medical professionals, from Hong Kong to Wuhan, are working overtime with a shortage of medical supplies and unsafe workplace. Despite the dangerous conditions, the medical industry are stepping up as frontline fighters of the ongoing 2019-nCoV outbreak.
ACHK supports medical professionals, including but not limited to doctors, nurses, researchers, first responders, who have always prioritized patients’ health and well-being.
Dr. Li Wenliang and his colleagues from Wuhan were suppressed by the Chinese party-state for trying to raise attention to the virus outbreak. On Feb 7, Dr. Li passed away from the virus infection. There have been conflicting reports about the time of Dr. Li’s death. ACHK is wary of the state-level misinformation and media campaigns to manipulate news of Dr. Li’s death for a favourable discourse. We must remain critical of Chinese state media’s narratives and misinformation.
In this healthcare crisis, ACHK stands in support of Hong Kong medical professionals who were on strike against the Hong Kong Government, who has failed to respond to the healthcare industry’s requests and advice. Carrie Lam and her government have failed to support medical professionals, who are putting their lives on the line to support patients in Hong Kong.
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ACHK supports and welcomes Taiwanese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Chinese, and other communities who are suffering from persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. ACHK stands in solidarity with Indigenous and marginalized communities both within Canada and abroad. alliancecanadahk.com | [email protected]
Canadians and Hong Kongers united behind “Canadian Five demands”
VANCOUVER, BC (January 21, 2020) – Ottawa’s inaction over Beijing’s gross violation of human rights has driven Hong Kong Canadians into a grassroots, youth-led, community-based alliance, forging as a unified voice of the Hong Kong Canadian community.
Alliance Canada Hong Kong (ACHK) fills an important gap in the Canadian society. Under the current federal leadership, Canada has turned a blind eye and continues to ignore Beijing’s human rights violations, to advance economic and trade relations with China. ACHK condemns the Government of Canada’s bystander position in the face of state-sanctioned genocide and humanitarian crisis.
“Hong Kong is standing alone on the frontline against the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party,” said Davin Wong, Former President of Hong Kong University Student Union and ACHK’s Director of Youth Engagement and Policy Initiatives. “The Government of Canada must stand up against Beijing’s overreach, which is even happening here on Canadian soil.”
ACHK demands immediate action from the Canadian Government.
To determine community sentiments, ACHK, along with Citizens’ Press Conference (CPC) — a Hong Kong-based media organization — conducted a community consultation survey to inform ACHK’s national advocacy direction and political campaign. The survey was targeted to Canadians and Hong Kongers, and over 13,000 individuals participated; Canadian respondents are hailed from all regions of Canada.
Survey results indicate strong support for invoking Magnitsky sanctions and supporting Hong Kongers who are seeking asylum in Canada. Canadian participants highlighted the need to examine foreign interference by the Chinese Communist Party in Canadian’s private and public institutions.
“As a progressive, my peers argue that human rights are not a partisan issue. Yet I am deeply disappointed by the silence of the progressive community on the issues of China’s authoritarian ambitions and blatant violation of human rights,” said Cherie Wong, Executive Director for ACHK. “I am calling on the progressive leadership in Canada, why do you remain silent and complicit in the face of Beijing’s violent oppression?”
ACHK and the Canada-Hong Kong community urge the Government of Canada to support the following “Canadian Five Demands”:
1) Hold officials accountable for human rights atrocities, police brutality, and erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy by banning, sanctioning, and freezing the assets of Chinese Communist Party officials, Hong Kong Government officials, and the Hong Kong Police Force officials, as per the Justice for the Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law) (S.C. 2017, c. 21);
2) Provide humanitarian support for Hong Kongers, Tibetans, Uyghurs, Chinese, and other groups seeking asylum from the Chinese Communist Party;
3) Protect Canadians’ fundamental freedom from erosion, and proactively combat Chinese Communist Party interference in Canadian society;
4) Investigate and combat foreign interference into Canadian institutions, including state-funded and/or affiliated Chinese Students and Scholars Associations, Confucius Institutes, and other state-sponsored political, cultural and private events, trips, expenses, and gifts, through a national registry of foreign agents and national foreign influence transparency legislation;
5) End all exports of military/police goods and technology to China that are used for human rights violations by the Chinese Communist Party.
ACHK welcomes Canadians to join its campaign here to encourage Canadian politicians to support these five demands.
—- ACHK supports and welcomes Taiwanese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Chinese, and other communities who are suffering from persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. ACHK stands in solidarity with Indigenous and marginalized communities both within Canada and abroad. alliancecanadahk.com | [email protected]
ACHK is proud to release the first version of its campaign plan. The document is available for download here.
VANCOUVER, BC (January 15, 2020) – Alliance Canada Hong Kong (ACHK) launches as a unified voice to promote democracy and human rights in Canada and Hong Kong. The collective strives to empower Hong Kong-Canadian communities for civil, social, and political change in Canada, to rally Canadians and Canadian political leaders to support the democratic movement in Hong Kong, and to combat the influence of the Chinese Communist Party.
“Hong Kong is on the frontline against the autocracy of the Chinese Communist Party,” said Davin Wong, ACHK’s Director of Youth Engagement. “We must stand up and fight back against efforts to interfere and corrupt free societies, alongside our friends in Hong Kong and around the world.”
ACHK recognizes that the Chinese Communist Party threatens not only the freedom of Hong Kongers, but of Canadians and our allies around the world. ACHK fills a political vacuum in Canada for thoughtful analysis on the increasingly strained Canada-China relationship. In the past two years alone, the Chinese government has kidnapped Canadian citizens, threatened Canadian leaders, conducted widespread industrial espionage against Canadian firms, and marshalled students to harass Hong Kongers on Canadian university campuses.
“As a Canadian and a Hong Konger, I live with a privilege that my peers in Hong Kong do not share, tohave freedom to political engagement means I have an obligation to stand up for Hong Kong’s liberty and fundamental freedoms,” said Cherie Wong, Executive Director of ACHK. “We are committed to empower Hong Kongers and allies in Canada to take action in support of the city’s democratic transformation.”
In cooperation with Citizen’s Press Conference, a Hong Kong-based media organization, ACHK is immediately releasing a community consultation survey targeted to Hong Kongers and Canadians. The consultation seeks to identify the concerns of the Hong Kong-Canadian community and develop policy solutions to mitigate them.
ACHK supports and welcomes Taiwanese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Chinese, and other communities who are suffering from persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. ACHK stands in solidarity with Indigenous and marginalized communities both within Canada and abroad.
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