CANADA WARNS ITS CITIZENS AGAINST TRAVELLING TO XINJIANG

Canada has warned its citizens against travelling to the Chinese province of Xinjiang, saying they face the “risk of arbitrary detention” on doing so. In an advisory, Ottawa said, “Chinese authorities are increasingly detaining ethnic and Muslim minorities in the region without due process. There are reports of extrajudicial internment and forced labour camps. Family members of Canadian citizens with Chinese citizenship have been detained.”

Canada also cautioned those who undertake journalism or research in China, particularly in Xinjiang or Tibet. In general, Canada asked its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution if travelling to China “due to the risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws”.

Relations between Canada and China turned sour since the detention of Meng Wanzhou, CFO of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, in Vancouver in 2018. She was detained following an extradition request from the US for allegedly trying to bypass sanctions imposed on Iran.

Days after her arrest, Chinese officials detained two Canadian nationals, Michael Spavor and Michael Korvig, who are in jail in what Canada has called “hostage diplomacy”. The two Michaels have been charged with spying and ferrying state secrets outside China. On February 22 this year, Canada’s House of Commons passed a resolution defining Chinese actions in Xinjiang as “genocide”.