Source: The Epoch Times
Ottawa has updated its travel advisory to China, citing concerns about the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, which it says can result in severe punishments for non-violent crimes and the death penalty for offenses deemed serious.
The update comes as Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly on March 19 confirmed China has
executed four Canadians this year on charges Beijing says are linked to drug trafficking.
She said Canada “strongly condemns” China’s decision, and that Ottawa will continue to ask for leniency for Canadians facing similar situations. Four Chinese-Canadian dual citizens were among those executed in China this year, according to Joly.
The travel
advisory, updated on March 17, says Canada’s ability to provide consular assistance is limited due to the “level of transparency” in China’s judicial system.
“In China, you may also be subject to severe punishments, even for non-violent acts such as financial crimes. Chinese authorities may also apply the death penalty for crimes deemed serious, including drug offences,” the March 17 update says, adding that Canadians may also be banned from leaving China without notice if under investigation by the regime.
A spokesperson with Global Affairs previously told The Epoch Times that Canada opposes China’s use of the death penalty, saying it is “inconsistent with basic human dignity.”
The Epoch Times asked Global Affairs when it became aware of the executions, but didn’t hear back by publication time.
Independent MP Kevin Vuong also voiced concern about China’s conduct toward Canadian citizens
“China executed 4 Canadians. Not only should our people avoid traveling to China, they should avoid transiting through their airports, HKG included,” he wrote in a March 20 social media
post.
Ottawa–Beijing Tensions
Canada’s update to its China travel advisory comes at a time of rising trade and diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and Beijing.
China on March 8
announced 100 percent tariffs on Canadian canola oil, oil cakes, and pea imports, as well as 25 percent levies on Canadian seafood and pork.
This came after Canada last October
imposed 100 percent import duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles and 25 percent tariffs on aluminum and steel products,
saying Canadian industries were at risk due to “unfair” competition from Chinese producers who benefited from China’s “intentional, state-directed policy of overcapacity and oversupply.” China’s tariffs
took effect on March 20.
Ottawa earlier this month also
raised concerns about a new disinformation campaign linked to the Chinese regime targeting individuals based in Canada who are critical of Beijing.
This campaign uses tactics such as spreading AI-generated content to “intimidate, belittle, and harass” its targets in Canada, according to Global Affairs. It is “more extensive” than one reported in 2023, which
targeted dozens of members of Parliament, including former prime minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and several cabinet members. Global Affairs said it raised concerns directly with the Chinese embassy.
Canada’s public inquiry into foreign interference previously
identified China as “the most persistent and sophisticated foreign interference threat” to the country. Another report published this month
suggests China is “very likely” to use artificial intelligence tools to attempt to interfere in Canada’s general election this year.
In a foreign interference case earlier this year, then Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland
was targeted by a disinformation campaign, including news articles disparaging her, emerging from an anonymous WeChat blog that has been previously linked to the Chinese regime, according to Global Affairs.
Ottawa has also raised the alarm about China’s attempts to infiltrate the Canadian government. A March 4 report by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
said it has observed repeated and ongoing targeting of all levels of government in Canada by the Chinese regime.
Canada also recently condemned China for its human rights abuses and
imposed sanctions last December against eight Chinese senior officials it says were involved in “grave human rights violations.” Ottawa said the sanctions were in response to the Chinese regime-led repression of ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Muslim Uyghurs from the Chinese region of Xinjiang, Tibetans, and practitioners of Falun Gong.
“Canada is deeply concerned by the human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet and against those who practise Falun Gong,” said Joly in a Dec. 10, 2024,
news release by Global Affairs Canada. “We call on the Chinese government to put an end to this systematic campaign of repression and uphold its international human rights obligations.”
Falun Gong is a spiritual practice, first introduced in China in 1992, that combines meditative movements with moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. While currently practiced in more than 100 countries, Falun Gong is banned in China, where practitioners have been subjected to severe persecution for more than 25 years, with reports of torture, forced labour, physical and sexual abuse, and forced organ
harvesting.
Travel Advisory
Ottawa is advising Canadian travellers to China to exercise a “high degree of caution.” It says Canadians in China may have fewer rights than in Canada, including limited privacy and legal representation.
It says Canadians should assume local authorities will have access to their biometrics upon arrival, noting that Chinese authorities “widely rely” on facial recognition technology and video surveillance to police, monitor, and control activities deemed restricted.
It also cautions visitors that they won’t have internet privacy in China, saying local authorities can monitor their communications anytime or review the content stored or consulted on their devices.
The advisory urges Canadians to be “particularly vigilant” when visiting Xinjiang or Tibet, warning against filming or taking photos and advising them to expect heightened security and surveillance. Both regions have drawn international concern over reported state-led rights abuses.
Canadians in China are also cautioned against engaging in activities the Chinese regime sees as “endangering national security,” disturbing social order, or damaging the public interest, even if those activities are not seen as such in Canada, Ottawa notes.
The term “disturbing social order,” in Chinese law, is often applied to allow for the suppression of dissident voices and nonviolent movements,
according to experts.
Ottawa says Canadians found to be upsetting social order will be subject to questioning.
“Chinese authorities may detain you for up to 6 months before you are formally arrested,” reads the advisory.
“Note that access to legal representation is frequently denied in the initial stages of a national security case, and trials often take place in closed court.”
Noé Chartier contributed to this report.
