Canada should offer Hongkongers a means of escape, activists say
They fear millions of people who joined democratic protest movement against China may be in danger
Canada should extend special protections and speed immigration procedures for Hong Kong citizens who have no other means to escape political oppression by the Chinese Communist Party, activists say.
“It’s imperative that the Canadian government show leadership and so far we haven’t seen a very strong response compared with the U.K. and Japan,” said Jane Li, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Hong Kong Political Activists.
Canada has already received several dozen people from Hong Kong with refugee claims, but millions of people have marched in protest against new laws imposed on Hong Kong by the Chinese government and they are all potentially at risk, Li said.
Ottawa could smooth the path for asylum seekers from Hong Kong and China by qualifying them for simplified claim processes, allowing local Hong Kong-Canadian communities to sponsor claimants, and provide travel documents to known activists whose freedom of movement is already curtailed by China, according to a policy brief prepared by Alliance Canada Hong Kong.
Canada should also ignore any arrests, charges and convictions associated with the democratic protest movement in considering applications, activists say.
The policy brief notes that “refugee claimants from Hong Kong are likely to be young, educated, English-speaking global citizens whose values align with those of Canada.”
“Obviously, there is a lot of tension between Canada and China right now, so we propose some creative and innovative program options,” said Cherie Wong, executive director of the alliance.
The Chinese government admonished Canada’s then-foreign minister Chrystia
Freeland last year for “meddling” when she reiterated Canada’s support for Hong Kong’s “high degree of autonomy” in China.
The arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on U.S. charges of fraud and China’s subsequent incarceration of two Canadian nationals has also worsened relations between Ottawa and Beijing.
China is in the process of passing a new national security law that would criminalize acts that undermine the government, as well as collusion with foreign powers. Beijing would also establish a national security commission in Hong Kong to prosecute the new laws under the control of an adviser appointed by China.