"But in Mr. Xi’s former fiefdoms — before attaining national power he held office in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces — as best I can tell not one official above the deputy provincial level has been arrested for corruption. Recently the question was raised in a post on the Internet: Why have no 'big tigers' been found in Fujian and Zhejiang? The message was almost immediately deleted."
Xi’s Selective Punishment http://nyti.ms/1CfBHza Very bleak take on Xi Jinping's "Stalinist Purge"
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Monday, January 12, 2015
John Baird's Remarks on Garratts and Future of Canada-China Relations Reported in Chinese Language Media
Below is my rough translation of a report in the World Journal by 費詩明 dated Toronto January 10, 2015.
The Chinese original text can be found at http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_van/26346492/article-%E7%99%BD%E8%AB%A4%E5%BE%B7-%E7%9B%BC%E4%B8%AD%E9%96%8B%E9%80%9A10%E5%B9%B4%E7%B0%BD%E8%AD%89?instance=bc_bull_left1
Baird: Expects that China Will Start to Offer 10 Year Visas
At an event in Markham Federal Ministry of Foreign affairs John Baird indicated that the arrangements for a visit of a senior Chinese government official to Canada are still being negotiated. At this time he has no information to announce about this. The federal government very much hopes that the Government of China will be able to start to offer a 10 year visa for Canadian citizens. This will convenience visits by family members between the two nations. And will also make bilateral exchanges easier.
Mr Baird indicated that the visit to China in November of last year was most successful. Especially that Toronto became the first renminbi exchange centre in North America. This has been a win-win for Canada. He said that senior officials of Canada and China are in constant contact. Last week cat an activity in Latin America he had a brief meeting with China's vice president Li Yuanchao. At that meeting the two sides deepened the development of relations.
With regard to the case of Canadian citizens Kevin Garratt and Julia Dawn Garratt accused of stealing Chinese secrets, they still remain in custody. Mr. Baird indicated that there has been no progress on this matter, but the Government of Canada will continue to pay close attention to it, and give assistance and apply pressure as required.
The Government of China has already offered a 10 year visa for citizens of the United States. Several local Chinese community organisations have signed a joint petition in the hope that the Government of Canada will put pressure on the Government of China to extend a 10 year visa to Canadian citizens as well. Baird indicated yesterday that the Federal Government also hopes that China, with the shortest possible delay, will extend a 10 year visa for Canadian citizens. This will not only be of benefit to visits by family members. It will also assist economic leaders in exchanging visits and it will simplify the complicated procedures involving going abroad to renew Chinese visas.
The Chinese original text can be found at http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_van/26346492/article-%E7%99%BD%E8%AB%A4%E5%BE%B7-%E7%9B%BC%E4%B8%AD%E9%96%8B%E9%80%9A10%E5%B9%B4%E7%B0%BD%E8%AD%89?instance=bc_bull_left1
Baird: Expects that China Will Start to Offer 10 Year Visas
At an event in Markham Federal Ministry of Foreign affairs John Baird indicated that the arrangements for a visit of a senior Chinese government official to Canada are still being negotiated. At this time he has no information to announce about this. The federal government very much hopes that the Government of China will be able to start to offer a 10 year visa for Canadian citizens. This will convenience visits by family members between the two nations. And will also make bilateral exchanges easier.
Mr Baird indicated that the visit to China in November of last year was most successful. Especially that Toronto became the first renminbi exchange centre in North America. This has been a win-win for Canada. He said that senior officials of Canada and China are in constant contact. Last week cat an activity in Latin America he had a brief meeting with China's vice president Li Yuanchao. At that meeting the two sides deepened the development of relations.
With regard to the case of Canadian citizens Kevin Garratt and Julia Dawn Garratt accused of stealing Chinese secrets, they still remain in custody. Mr. Baird indicated that there has been no progress on this matter, but the Government of Canada will continue to pay close attention to it, and give assistance and apply pressure as required.
The Government of China has already offered a 10 year visa for citizens of the United States. Several local Chinese community organisations have signed a joint petition in the hope that the Government of Canada will put pressure on the Government of China to extend a 10 year visa to Canadian citizens as well. Baird indicated yesterday that the Federal Government also hopes that China, with the shortest possible delay, will extend a 10 year visa for Canadian citizens. This will not only be of benefit to visits by family members. It will also assist economic leaders in exchanging visits and it will simplify the complicated procedures involving going abroad to renew Chinese visas.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Liberal Party China Policy - Trudeau unveils foreign policy team of ex-military officers, ambassadors
Trudeau unveils foreign policy team of ex-military officers, ambassadors - The Globe and Mail
"Another member of Mr. Trudeau’s council is Margaret Cornish, a Beijing-based senior adviser for the law firm Bennett Jones, who has argued against special restrictions on what Chinese state-owned firms can buy in Canada."
"Another member of Mr. Trudeau’s council is Margaret Cornish, a Beijing-based senior adviser for the law firm Bennett Jones, who has argued against special restrictions on what Chinese state-owned firms can buy in Canada."
Monday, December 15, 2014
Canada, China to sign deal on return of fugitives' seized assets
Canada, China to sign deal on return of fugitives' seized assets | Daily Mail Online
Both of these agreements are highly problematic for Canada. "The return of property related to people who would have fled to Canada and would have been involved in corrupt activities", as Ambassador Saint-Jacques puts it is a noble goal consistent with Canadian values. But the issue is when the Chinese government informs us that the bank accounts and property of a Chinese person in Canada are the proceeds of criminal activity in China. How can we fairly assess this claim before seizing the assets of the alleged criminal and handing them over to the Chinese agency that has demanded them?
In Canada we demand full due process of law for everyone in our country whether Canadian or Chinese. The main reason we do not have an extradition treaty with China is because we do not trust the evidentiary basis for claims of criminality by the PRC regime. That will be the case so long as China has no independent judiciary.
Presently the police and the judges must submit to the authority of "Political and Legal Committees" of the Chinese Communist Party. We therefore have concerns that these requests to Canada to strip the assets of Chinese people in Canada and repatriate them to China may be more informed by political factors related to factional struggle within the Chinese Communist Party than purely legal claims.
That being said hopefully the text of this agreement and of the customs agreement will both be made public soon so that they can be assessed independently and enter into the public debate over Canada's foreign relations with China.
This agreement following hard on the treaty Canada signed with China last month to exchange information on Customs investigations, suggest that Canada is making significant concessions to demands from the People's Republic of China without any assurance of reciprocal concessions on the part of the PRC in response to our concerns about market access and human rights. For example, we have not asked that China respond positively by resolving the consular case of Kevin and Julia Garratt prior to our announcing the above two agreements with China.
Both of these agreements are highly problematic for Canada. "The return of property related to people who would have fled to Canada and would have been involved in corrupt activities", as Ambassador Saint-Jacques puts it is a noble goal consistent with Canadian values. But the issue is when the Chinese government informs us that the bank accounts and property of a Chinese person in Canada are the proceeds of criminal activity in China. How can we fairly assess this claim before seizing the assets of the alleged criminal and handing them over to the Chinese agency that has demanded them?
In Canada we demand full due process of law for everyone in our country whether Canadian or Chinese. The main reason we do not have an extradition treaty with China is because we do not trust the evidentiary basis for claims of criminality by the PRC regime. That will be the case so long as China has no independent judiciary.
Presently the police and the judges must submit to the authority of "Political and Legal Committees" of the Chinese Communist Party. We therefore have concerns that these requests to Canada to strip the assets of Chinese people in Canada and repatriate them to China may be more informed by political factors related to factional struggle within the Chinese Communist Party than purely legal claims.
That being said hopefully the text of this agreement and of the customs agreement will both be made public soon so that they can be assessed independently and enter into the public debate over Canada's foreign relations with China.
Saturday, December 06, 2014
Arthur Porter trahi par sa femme, qui plaidera coupable | Vincent Larouche | Affaires criminelles
Arthur Porter trahi par sa femme, qui plaidera coupable | Vincent Larouche | Affaires criminelles
"Pamela Mattock Porter reconnaîtra du même coup que les millions de dollars versés à son mari par SNC-Lavalin étaient des produits de la criminalité."
"Pamela Mattock Porter reconnaîtra du même coup que les millions de dollars versés à son mari par SNC-Lavalin étaient des produits de la criminalité."
Thursday, December 04, 2014
Puzzling: Harper government quietly signed customs agreement with China - National | Globalnews.ca
EXCLUSIVE: Harper government quietly signed customs agreement with China - National | Globalnews.ca
“I’m hard-pressed to know why it is that Canada feels it would be in our interest to share information on sensitive matters of interdiction of illegal exports and other customs-related matters with the Chinese state, who would likely pass it on to exactly the people that we are hoping to prevent from doing this kind of illegal activity,” Burton said.
“I’m hard-pressed to know why it is that Canada feels it would be in our interest to share information on sensitive matters of interdiction of illegal exports and other customs-related matters with the Chinese state, who would likely pass it on to exactly the people that we are hoping to prevent from doing this kind of illegal activity,” Burton said.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Nexen Continues Termination of Canadian Staff
"Power said 'standardization'is more important now that Nexen is part of a bigger organization and the new structure is 'well aligned with head office.'
CNOOC’s $15.1-billion acquisition of Nexen Inc. two years ago triggered a change in Canadian foreign investment rules to ban state-owned enterprises from gaining control of oilsands assets in the future. The company was said over the summer to be cutting costs and staff, despite assuring Ottawa it would keep all of its executives and employees.
CNOOC fired chief executive Kevin Reinhart last April and replaced him with Fang Zhi, a CNOOC executive of 30 years with an MBA from a British university, who served on the Nexen integration team."
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Hong Kong police get ready to clear Occupy protest sites
@ChinaRealTime
Hong Kong police get ready to clear Occupy protest sites http://on.wsj.com/1zjdOpA
So sadly predictable; exactly as I had thought would happen
Hong Kong police get ready to clear Occupy protest sites http://on.wsj.com/1zjdOpA
So sadly predictable; exactly as I had thought would happen
Monday, November 10, 2014
My Op-Ed "Why is Harper in China? The ethnic vote. And money" - The Globe and Mail
Why is Harper in China? The ethnic vote. And money - The Globe and Mail
"Chinese media reports of the Harper visit focused on boosting relations, increasing trade and “building mutual trust.” This seems to mean trusting Beijing’s assurances that Ottawa should have no cause for concern about allegations of pervasive serious human rights abuse in China, or about Chinese cyber espionage threatening Canadian security. Indeed there were many photographs of Mr. Harper and his accompanying cabinet ministers laughing and smiling and giving the impression that they thoroughly enjoyed interacting with leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.
"Chinese media reports of the Harper visit focused on boosting relations, increasing trade and “building mutual trust.” This seems to mean trusting Beijing’s assurances that Ottawa should have no cause for concern about allegations of pervasive serious human rights abuse in China, or about Chinese cyber espionage threatening Canadian security. Indeed there were many photographs of Mr. Harper and his accompanying cabinet ministers laughing and smiling and giving the impression that they thoroughly enjoyed interacting with leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.
But it is hard to imagine that Mr. Harper was genuinely building bonds of friendship at his lengthy Friday meeting with Xiao Baolong, the Communist Party Secretary of Zhejiang province. Mr. Xiao is currently currying favour with the leadership in Beijing by systematically suppressing Christianity. Hundreds of churches have been ordered to remove visible crosses from their buildings, and many churches have been completely razed on the premise of “building code violations” – including the heart-rending destruction of the magnificent, recently constructed Sanjiang Cathedral that could seat 3,000 worshippers."
President Obama's Comments on China at APEC Opening Speech
"We look to China to create a more level playing field on which foreign companies are treated fairly," Obama said.
"We look to China to become an innovative economy that values the protection of intellectual property rights and rejects cybertheft of trade secrets for commercial gain."
He also called on China "to stand up for human rights and freedom of the press."
(http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-obama-talk-freer-trade-with-china-at-asia-pacific-conference-1.2829606?cmp=rss)
"We look to China to become an innovative economy that values the protection of intellectual property rights and rejects cybertheft of trade secrets for commercial gain."
He also called on China "to stand up for human rights and freedom of the press."
(http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-obama-talk-freer-trade-with-china-at-asia-pacific-conference-1.2829606?cmp=rss)
Friday, November 07, 2014
My Interview with China Daily
This past couple of weeks, I have been interviewed by Mainland China "media" about Canada-China relations. None of them have been actually published in their ostensible outlets insofar as I am aware (CCTV, People's Daily, etc.). But it is intriguing to see what the Chinese regime is interested in knowing about.
Here is one done by e-mail yesterday with my responses:
The prime minister's meeting with Chinese President Xi - what do you think will be the main topics they will discuss?
There are broad range of topics of interest to both sides that will likely be on the agenda for the talks between the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of China. Certainly both will want to engage on trade and investment. Canada would like better access to the Chinese market to address the 3 to 1 trade imbalance between our countries. China would also like more assurances the Chinese state firms will have major investments in Canadian natural resources and infrastructure reviewed and approved approved by the Canadian government in a timely fashion.
The Canadian government has alleged the Chinese state entities have engaged in cyber espionage on Canadian government computers in 2011 and earlier this year. Canada, like the other APEC nations who have similar concerns, would like a more fulsome assurance from the President of China that there will be no further incidents of this nature.
There is also the consular case of Kevin and Julia Garratt who have been held without charge by the Chinese authorities for three months now. This matter is taken very seriously by Canadians so I'm sure the Prime Minister Harper will ask President Xi for an explanation of the nature of the evidence against them and will urge that they be given access to their lawyer and due process of law.
Will they discuss both countries response to Isis and Ebola?
These two matters will likely come up in multilateral discussions at APEC but I doubt that they will be major issues in the bilateral meeting between the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of China.
The ratification of FIPA (investment treaty) in September by Canada did this help to set a positive tone for the meeting.
I believe that this ratification in the face of considerable political opposition is expected to be answered by reciprocal gesture of goodwill on the part of the Government of China.
China doesn't like the restrictions on investment in Canada's energy sector by State-Owned firms - will there be any progress on this issue?
The Government of Canada can give an assurance to the Government of China that Canada welcomes Chinese state investment in our energy sector, but that Canada will not permit Chinese state firms to gain a majority controlling share in Canadian enterprises in our critical natural resources sector.
China has much more stringent restrictions on foreign investment in the natural resources sector in China and we do not anticipate the China will make any reciprocal concessions as the Chinese government sees this as a matter of national security.
Here is one done by e-mail yesterday with my responses:
The prime minister's meeting with Chinese President Xi - what do you think will be the main topics they will discuss?
There are broad range of topics of interest to both sides that will likely be on the agenda for the talks between the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of China. Certainly both will want to engage on trade and investment. Canada would like better access to the Chinese market to address the 3 to 1 trade imbalance between our countries. China would also like more assurances the Chinese state firms will have major investments in Canadian natural resources and infrastructure reviewed and approved approved by the Canadian government in a timely fashion.
The Canadian government has alleged the Chinese state entities have engaged in cyber espionage on Canadian government computers in 2011 and earlier this year. Canada, like the other APEC nations who have similar concerns, would like a more fulsome assurance from the President of China that there will be no further incidents of this nature.
There is also the consular case of Kevin and Julia Garratt who have been held without charge by the Chinese authorities for three months now. This matter is taken very seriously by Canadians so I'm sure the Prime Minister Harper will ask President Xi for an explanation of the nature of the evidence against them and will urge that they be given access to their lawyer and due process of law.
Will they discuss both countries response to Isis and Ebola?
These two matters will likely come up in multilateral discussions at APEC but I doubt that they will be major issues in the bilateral meeting between the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of China.
The ratification of FIPA (investment treaty) in September by Canada did this help to set a positive tone for the meeting.
I believe that this ratification in the face of considerable political opposition is expected to be answered by reciprocal gesture of goodwill on the part of the Government of China.
China doesn't like the restrictions on investment in Canada's energy sector by State-Owned firms - will there be any progress on this issue?
The Government of Canada can give an assurance to the Government of China that Canada welcomes Chinese state investment in our energy sector, but that Canada will not permit Chinese state firms to gain a majority controlling share in Canadian enterprises in our critical natural resources sector.
China has much more stringent restrictions on foreign investment in the natural resources sector in China and we do not anticipate the China will make any reciprocal concessions as the Chinese government sees this as a matter of national security.
Friday, October 31, 2014
PMO announces that PM to visit China November 5-10
PM to visit China
“As the world’s second-largest economy and Canada’s second-largest single-country trading partner, China represents tremendous opportunities for Canada. I look forward to meeting with government and business leaders to further strengthen bilateral relations and lay an even broader framework of agreements that will enable Canadian businesses to truly take advantage of China’s large, diverse and dynamic economy.” – Prime Minister Stephen Harper
“As the world’s second-largest economy and Canada’s second-largest single-country trading partner, China represents tremendous opportunities for Canada. I look forward to meeting with government and business leaders to further strengthen bilateral relations and lay an even broader framework of agreements that will enable Canadian businesses to truly take advantage of China’s large, diverse and dynamic economy.” – Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Puzzling reporting by China Daily that PM will be attending APEC after all
"A senior Chinese diplomat confirmed that Harper will be in Beijing to attend the November APEC leaders meeting.
The confirmation followed comments from Harper's office this week suggesting that he had canceled plans to attend the APEC meeting in the wake of terror attacks in Canada that claimed the lives of two soldiers.There was even speculation that Harper would not attend the APEC event after relations with China hit a rocky patch earlier this year.China's Ambassador to Canada Luo Zhaohui said at a reception at his residence on Wednesday that Harper will pay an official visit and attend the annual gathering of the 21 APEC member economies."
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2014-10/31/content_18836146.htm
The confirmation followed comments from Harper's office this week suggesting that he had canceled plans to attend the APEC meeting in the wake of terror attacks in Canada that claimed the lives of two soldiers.There was even speculation that Harper would not attend the APEC event after relations with China hit a rocky patch earlier this year.China's Ambassador to Canada Luo Zhaohui said at a reception at his residence on Wednesday that Harper will pay an official visit and attend the annual gathering of the 21 APEC member economies."
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2014-10/31/content_18836146.htm
Monday, October 27, 2014
Thursday, October 09, 2014
Saturday, October 04, 2014
My interview with Christine Birak on CBC News Network "Canada's Hong Kong response lacking, ex-envoy says"
My interview with Christine Birak on CBC News Network "Canada's Hong Kong response lacking, ex-envoy says" can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/1rLEU68
There is also a related report in the Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/ottawas-tepid-response-to-hong-kong-protests-a-shift-in-policy/article20930429/
There is also a related report in the Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/ottawas-tepid-response-to-hong-kong-protests-a-shift-in-policy/article20930429/
Wednesday, October 01, 2014
Video of my interview with Pat Bolland "The demand for democracy"
Video of my interview with Pat Bolland "The demand for democracy" : Prime time : SunNews Video Gallery - http://bit.ly/1nKUz7x broadcast on September 29, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
My Views on Hong Kong Protests Broadcast on CBC "The Current" This Morning
"Hong Kong demonstrators are angry and continue to demand free elections. New leader Xi Jinping believes in strong leadership and is determined to preserve China's political system. Protesters says it will take more than tear gas to back down. So will Beijing compromise or crack down?"
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2014/09/30/hong-kong-pro-democracy-protests-demand-beijiing-to-reconsider-free-and-open-elections/
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2014/09/30/hong-kong-pro-democracy-protests-demand-beijiing-to-reconsider-free-and-open-elections/
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
My interview on RCI "Leader may cancel China tour over couple’s arrest"
Leader may cancel China tour over couple’s arrest
This is a long radio interview with me, broadcast on Radio Canada International, that reflects my views on a number of aspects of Canada-China relations
There is also a version in Mandarin: http://www.rcinet.ca/zh/2014/09/15/24768/?-???????????????????/
This is a long radio interview with me, broadcast on Radio Canada International, that reflects my views on a number of aspects of Canada-China relations
There is also a version in Mandarin: http://www.rcinet.ca/zh/2014/09/15/24768/?-???????????????????/
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Two Chinese reporters banned from Prime Minister's Arctic trip: video
The Prime Minister's Office will not allow two Chinese reporters to join a trip to the arctic.
Two Chinese reporters banned from arctic trip : Prime time : SunNews Video Gallery
Pat Bolland's interview with me broadcast on SUN TV on August 19, 2014.
Friday, August 15, 2014
My Comments on Chinese Ambassador's Op-Ed Relating to the Garratts' Incarceration
Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui has published an Op-Ed in the Globe and Mail: "China and Canada: We can manage our differences" http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/china-and-canada-we-can-manage-our-differences/article20074157/
Commentary about it is given here: "Chinese envoy offers olive branch on Garratts’ detention in Globe letter"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/chinese-envoy-offers-olive-branch-on-garratts-detention-in-globe-letter/article20073652/
My own Op-Ed about the Garratts incarceration "Canadians detained in China are pawns in a bigger geopolitical game" can be read at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/canadians-detained-in-china-are-pawns-in-a-bigger-geopolitical-game/article19946529/
My take on it: The Ambassador's Op-Ed follows the standard messaging of the Chinese Foreign Ministry to Western nations. Our strongly held concerns about China's human rights record, Chinese state espionage, and China's support for repressive regimes in the Third World are pejoratively dismissed as "bumps and grumps." The notion that we should "manage our differences" really implies that we should set these serious concerns aside and focus on "practical cooperation" in trade and investment. The reference to "face up to individual cases and properly handle our differences" almost certainly refers to the Ambassador's concern about the Garratts' arrest on blatantly trumped up charges of espionage as he puts it "kidnapping our bilateral relations."
To my understanding the Garratts are being held by the Ministry of State Security. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has little influence over the much more powerful Ministry of State Security. The Ambassador will be held to account by his Government if under his ambassadorship Canada-China relations flounder. So I would imagine that Mr. Luo would be much relieved if the Garratts were deported back to Canada. I fervently hope that this will happen. But I see this Op-Ed as a defensive public plea in the face of the Embassy's considerable concern over what they are hearing from DFATD about the potential impact of the Garratts continuing incarceration on Canada's China policy.
Thursday, August 07, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
Purge of Xu Caihou is Hugely Significant
Purge of Xu Caihou is hugely significant:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-28084886
It is about serious factional issues, not just his massive receiving of bribes. The latter defines many, many (most) serious officials, but it is Mr. Xu that is being purged.
It is about serious factional issues, not just his massive receiving of bribes. The latter defines many, many (most) serious officials, but it is Mr. Xu that is being purged.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
25 Years Ago: It's Not That I Didn't Understand
25 years ago, its not that I didn't understand, but then came the 35th day of May.
RIP Tiananmen martyrs, young idealistic lives caught terribly short.
Friday, May 30, 2014
What Beijing learned from Tiananmen: Democracy isn’t needed for prosperity
Article in Globe and Mail by Charlie Foran citing my memories "What Beijing learned from Tiananmen: Democracy isn’t needed for prosperity" http://fw.to/yzfR4KZ
Saturday, May 17, 2014
John Ivison: To the governor-general, Genghis Khan isn’t so much a genocidal warlord as a ‘purveyor of knowledge and enlightenment’ | National Post
John Ivison: To the governor-general, Genghis Khan isn’t so much a genocidal warlord as a ‘purveyor of knowledge and enlightenment’ | National Post
Some one needs to have a serious chat with whoever it was in DFATD who put these appallingly misconceived words into the Vice-Regal mouth.
Some one needs to have a serious chat with whoever it was in DFATD who put these appallingly misconceived words into the Vice-Regal mouth.
Monday, April 28, 2014
The new Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou has just been completely demolished.
The new Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou has just been completely demolished. I am simply appalled.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
My letter to The Toronto Star about the Statement by Liu Jianhui and Zheng Yaru Published this Morning
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/04/26/we_will_never_recover_from_this_awful_tragedy.html
To: Kevin Cavanagh AUncles@thestar.ca Lucy Burton Jianhui Liu
Dear Alison,
Thank you very much for publishing the translation. The photo of Liu Qian as a child on the mountain on the front page is lovely.
I just spoke with Liu Jianhui and mentioned the Star's generous offer to make a donation to a charity in the name of Liu Jianhui and Zheng Yaru to a charity. Well I was very touched to learn that he and his wife had taken some of the money that the Chinese community in Toronto has collected for them and given it to the Sick Kids Hospital, which they could see out of the window of their room in the Doubletree Hotel where they stayed during the trial. I had told them when I was up in their hotel room about how grateful I was to that hospital because when she was a young teenager my daughter Lucy had had 2 operations of 13 and 4 hours respectively to address a serious heart defect there. Mr. Liu has asked that the Star's donation also go to Sick Kids.
Hope you are having a good weekend.
Charles
___
905-329-9477
Skype: cburton002
http://charlesburton.webplus.net
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Xi Jinping Moves to Centralize His Personal Power
NYTimes: National Security Commission Meets for the First Time:
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Monday, April 07, 2014
Justice Finally Done in the Tragic Death of Liu Qian
Today Brian Dickson has been found guilty of first degree murder in the death of Liu Qian.
Justice has been done, but I feel only deep, deep sadness at her terrible loss.
RIP, Necole.
Justice has been done, but I feel only deep, deep sadness at her terrible loss.
RIP, Necole.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
My Thought on Trial for man accused of York University webcam murder starts this week
This trial will be the focus of much attention in China. I am ardently hoping that the Canadian justice system will function in a way that will do Canada credit.
http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/15/trial-for-man-accused-of-york-university-webcam-murder-starts-this-week#disqus_thread
http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/15/trial-for-man-accused-of-york-university-webcam-murder-starts-this-week#disqus_thread
Thursday, March 06, 2014
My Op-Ed in this morning's Globe and Mail China’s leadership entrenches – this cannot bode well
China’s leadership entrenches – this cannot bode well - The Globe and Mail
Unfortunately, the signal importance to these minorities of language, culture and religious rights evidently escapes China’s leadership. For many Uyghurs and Tibetans, for instance, the fight for symbols that recognize their identity – their own flag, a seat at the United Nations, a free media that tells their people’s story in their own terms, their own schools and political leaders – is a paramount concern. It is the stuff of their souls, for which some will resort to terror and violence, even laying down their lives in horrible ways.
. . .
Wednesday’s report suggests China will step up its struggle for regional power and influence against Japan in the coming year. The government indicated ominously that “we will safeguard the victory of World War II and the postwar international order, and will not allow anyone to reverse the course of history.” Combined with a promise to increase the military’s budget by 12.2 per cent, well in excess of anticipated gross domestic product growth, this cannot bode well.
Unfortunately, the signal importance to these minorities of language, culture and religious rights evidently escapes China’s leadership. For many Uyghurs and Tibetans, for instance, the fight for symbols that recognize their identity – their own flag, a seat at the United Nations, a free media that tells their people’s story in their own terms, their own schools and political leaders – is a paramount concern. It is the stuff of their souls, for which some will resort to terror and violence, even laying down their lives in horrible ways.
. . .
Wednesday’s report suggests China will step up its struggle for regional power and influence against Japan in the coming year. The government indicated ominously that “we will safeguard the victory of World War II and the postwar international order, and will not allow anyone to reverse the course of history.” Combined with a promise to increase the military’s budget by 12.2 per cent, well in excess of anticipated gross domestic product growth, this cannot bode well.
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
My Take on the Terrible Incident at the Kunming Railway Station
Mercifully, none of our family and friends were at the Kunming Railway Station that terrible evening.
Yesterday, I was asked to make a few comments for the Toronto Mandarin TV News. I judge that the questions the reporter asked me shed more light on the issue than my answers. For example, I was asked if I thought that the reason the incident occurred in Kunming is because so many Uyghurs travel to Yunnan to buy drugs. Another was did I think that the reason that the Uyghurs engage in terrorism is because they want are an independent East Turkestan so they can keep all the wealth generated by natural resource extraction in Xinjiang for themselves. So is it about greed? And there was the implication that all Uyghurs, coordinated by Rebiya Kadeer with U.S. support, foment terrorism to further their cause.
But I see the Han-Uyghur conflict as fundamentally a problem of incompatible and evidently irreconcilable narratives of history about the same piece of territory. Unfortunately, the signal importance of language, culture and religion to the Uyghurs largely escapes most Han people. But the fight for recognition of their identity, the symbols of their own flag, a seat for their nation at the U.N., a free media in the Uyghur language that tells their people's story in their own terms, and of course their own schools and political leaders is to many Uyghurs their paramount abiding concern, because it is the stuff of their souls. And for this some will resort to terror and violence and even lay down their lives.
I wish that I could see some path to a resolution of all this. But, regrettably, I cannot.
Yesterday, I was asked to make a few comments for the Toronto Mandarin TV News. I judge that the questions the reporter asked me shed more light on the issue than my answers. For example, I was asked if I thought that the reason the incident occurred in Kunming is because so many Uyghurs travel to Yunnan to buy drugs. Another was did I think that the reason that the Uyghurs engage in terrorism is because they want are an independent East Turkestan so they can keep all the wealth generated by natural resource extraction in Xinjiang for themselves. So is it about greed? And there was the implication that all Uyghurs, coordinated by Rebiya Kadeer with U.S. support, foment terrorism to further their cause.
But I see the Han-Uyghur conflict as fundamentally a problem of incompatible and evidently irreconcilable narratives of history about the same piece of territory. Unfortunately, the signal importance of language, culture and religion to the Uyghurs largely escapes most Han people. But the fight for recognition of their identity, the symbols of their own flag, a seat for their nation at the U.N., a free media in the Uyghur language that tells their people's story in their own terms, and of course their own schools and political leaders is to many Uyghurs their paramount abiding concern, because it is the stuff of their souls. And for this some will resort to terror and violence and even lay down their lives.
I wish that I could see some path to a resolution of all this. But, regrettably, I cannot.
Sunday, March 02, 2014
Report in Chinese that Zhou Yongkang has been expelled from the Party
快讯：中共中央下发《关于周永康涉嫌严重违纪的通报》，通报指出，周永康在担任中国石油天然气集团、国土资源部、四川省委书记领导职务和中央政法委书记期间，严重违反党的纪律，滥用职权，犯有严重错误、负有重大责任；利用职权为他人谋利，直接和通过家人收受他人巨额贿赂；利用职权、其子周某利用其的职务影响为他人谋利，其家人收受他人巨额财物；与多名女性发生或保持不正当性关系；违反组织人事纪律，造成严重后果；涉嫌侵吞巨额国有资产；包庇和纵容黑社会团伙犯罪。周永康的行为造成了严重后果，极大损害了党和国家声誉，在国内外产生了非常恶劣的影响，给党和人民的事业造成了重大损失。中共中央政治局会议决定，根据《中国共产党章程》、《中国共产党纪律处分条例》的有关规定，给予周永康开除党籍处分，待党的十八届四中全会予以追认
It has not been denied by the Chinese MFA yet
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom Meets with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom Meets with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
"Canadians are concerned about the restrictions placed by the Chinese government on the right to freedom of religion of Tibetan Buddhists, especially on their ability to worship in peace. We are also concerned by the self-immolations by some Tibetans.
Canada has consistently advocated substantive and meaningful dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives to work toward a resolution of outstanding issues that is acceptable to both sides."
"Canadians are concerned about the restrictions placed by the Chinese government on the right to freedom of religion of Tibetan Buddhists, especially on their ability to worship in peace. We are also concerned by the self-immolations by some Tibetans.
Canada has consistently advocated substantive and meaningful dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives to work toward a resolution of outstanding issues that is acceptable to both sides."
On China's Refusal to Endorse the UN Report on Human Rights in the DPRK
I find this report on China-Korea and human rights' analysis highly convincing:
From The Globe and Mail:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/world-insider/why-wont-china-call-out-north-korea-on-charge-of-nazi-like-abuses/article16933237/
From The Globe and Mail:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/world-insider/why-wont-china-call-out-north-korea-on-charge-of-nazi-like-abuses/article16933237/
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
China says UN report on ‘great suffering,’ murder, rape in North Korea is ‘unreasonable criticism’ | National Post
China says UN report on ‘great suffering,’ murder, rape in North Korea is ‘unreasonable criticism’ | National Post
Keep hoping for the day when China has a government that champions justice. Hope it comes to pass in my lifetime and preferably much sooner.
Keep hoping for the day when China has a government that champions justice. Hope it comes to pass in my lifetime and preferably much sooner.
Monday, February 03, 2014
NYTimes: Imax Faces a Threat in China: technology stolen from Canada
From The New York Times
Imax Faces a Threat in China
Not only could competitors in China cut into its potential market share there, but Imax has charged in several courts that the Chinese system relies on technology that was blatantly stolen from its offices in Canada.
http://nyti.ms/1fCZJdK
Not only could competitors in China cut into its potential market share there, but Imax has charged in several courts that the Chinese system relies on technology that was blatantly stolen from its offices in Canada.
http://nyti.ms/1fCZJdK
My interview about this on SUN TV:
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/search/all/source/the-source/chinas-industrial-espionage/3227792434001
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/search/all/source/the-source/chinas-industrial-espionage/3227792434001
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Ambassador of Canada to China, Guy Saint-Jacques‘ Statement on Sentencing of Law Professor Xu Zhiyong
Ambassador of Canada to China, Guy Saint-Jacques‘ Statement on Sentencing of Law Professor Xu Zhiyong - http://bit.ly/KZqRIJ
"Other incidents of concern include:
Interviews about this on Radio Canada International Mandarin Service and English Service:
"Other incidents of concern include:
- the arrest of Professor Ilham Tohti, who has publicly expressed his concern for the well-being of Chinese Uyghurs;
- the disappearance on February 2, 2009 of Gao Zhisheng, a Christian human rights lawyer known for defending religious minorities and land-rights petitioners;
- the house detention of Liu Xia, wife of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who has been held largely incommunicado even though she has never been convicted of any offence;
- the 11-year sentencing of Liu Xiaobo for incitement to subversion."
My views are quoted in Ann Hui's report "Canadian ambassador rebukes China for jailing rights activist" published in the Globe and Mail on January 27, 2014: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadas-ambassador-to-china-criticizes-jailing-of-xu-zhiyong/article16505333/
Interviews about this on Radio Canada International Mandarin Service and English Service:
伯顿谈加拿大对许志永案的声明以及习近平的“列宁主义” - http://bit.ly/1jCb6GK
My Sun TV interview on this: http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/featured/prime-time/867432237001/canada-condemns-china/3233030309001
Thursday, January 23, 2014
China blocks CBC website after story about offshore accounts - World - CBC News
China blocks CBC website after story about offshore accounts - World - CBC News
Seems this reflects Communist Party fear about Chinese people fulfilling the Biblical injunction:
Seems this reflects Communist Party fear about Chinese people fulfilling the Biblical injunction:
John 8:32
King James Version (KJV)
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Tiananmen | Ideas with Paul Kennedy | CBC Radio
Re-broadcast of CBC "Ideas" program that I was part of.
Tiananmen | Ideas with Paul Kennedy | CBC Radio
Tiananmen | Ideas with Paul Kennedy | CBC Radio
Friday, January 03, 2014
We Wei Po report: Jang's execution bodes ill for China
According to the report, unlike previous executions of political prisoners which were carried out by firing squads with machine guns, Jang was stripped naked and thrown into a cage, along with his five closest aides. Then 120 hounds, starved for three days, were allowed to prey on them until they were completely eaten up. This is called "quan jue", or execution by dogs. The report said the entire process lasted for an hour, with Mr Kim Jong Un, the supreme leader in North Korea, along with 300 senior officials observing this horror.
http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/asia-report/china/story/jangs-execution-bodes-ill-china-20131224
http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/asia-report/china/story/jangs-execution-bodes-ill-china-20131224
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Uncle Jang's Death May Not Be Such a Plus for Kim Jong-un
I fear possibly dangerous times ahead in the DPRK. The late Jang Song-thaek's formidable faction may decide that a highly risky coup attempt may be preferable to death by political purge. Already a number of North Koreans with connections to China are suspected to have disappeared / gone to ground.
Sunday, December 08, 2013
An Outsider's Perspective on China's Third Plenum
The assumption of power by Xi Jinping and his "Fifth Generation" of leaders marks a first for China's post-1949 generation and those who spent their formative years during the Cultural Revolution. Of course consistent with Chinese tradition, Mr. Xi has been respectful and affirming of the record of his senior predecessors. But of course it is expected that as a new and younger leader that Mr. Xi will seek to promote vigorous, fresh new measures to respond to the challenges and opportunities of his era in power and revitalize his Party’s role in China’s modern society of this 21st century. Traditionally it has been at the third plenary session of a new Central Committee that the stage is set for the introduction of innovative policies that will shape the Chinese Communist Party’s program over the next ten years of the new leadership group’s mandate. So the third plenum assumes a special character that makes it stand out in China’s political calendar.
The issuing of the Resolution of the Third Plenary session of a newly convoked Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party is also much anticipated by foreign China watchers. It augurs for new beginnings and new policy orientations and the promise of new political initiatives to grapple with and interpret for foreign government policymakers and in public fora through the media.
In some ways it is comparable to the opening of a new session of parliament in Westminster systems or state of the union addresses in presidential systems. But while the speech from the throne that opens parliament sets out a legislative agenda for perhaps a couple of years, at a third plenary session of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party the proposed political agenda comprises a much longer period. Moreover, the legislative agenda of a parliamentary session addresses only a few highly specific priorities of the party in power. It is followed by the detailed drafting of bills that are publicly debated in the legislature and consequently modified (or even rejected altogether) before being brought in to codified law. Implementation of these specific laws is precisely defined to be pursued by lawyers and enforced by court orders.
But the most recent resolution of the Third Plenary Session of the Chinese Communist Party's 18th Central Committee is a much more comprehensive and complicated political proposition. It comprises economics, politics, culture, society, environment, the military defense and internal security. All this developed through an extensive process of internal party consultations.
But unlike bills prepared for parliamentary debate in the West, the documents that will direct the policy reforms indicated in the resolution are not publicly available. As is the case with legislation proposed in parliamentary systems, these new policy reforms will inevitably discomfit significant vested interests in China today. But those vested interests have no means to publicly express their principled arguments against the policy changes that will be disadvantaging them. So it is difficult for the foreign observer to be very clear on the implications of the publicly available documents. It is more challenging still to expound with much authority on the extent to which these new policies will be able to effectively bring about the promised results.
Chairman Xi in the explanation of tthe Third Plenum’s statement pulbished under his name does clearly set out the serious challenges that his government currently faces. These overall can be identified in three main aspects: the widening gap between rich and poor in China, official corruption, and slowing growth rates due to inefficiencies in the state-owned sectors of the national economy. These are not new problems. All of these issues have been acknowledged by previous Party leaderships as demanding priority resolution. All are prominently set out in work reports at National People's Congresses and Chinese Communist Party meetings over the years of Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao's leadership. But there is consensus that regrettably the gap between rich and poor and the pervasiveness and degree of official corruption have grown considerably worse over time. And China's rate of economic growth is slowing due to structural deficiencies and future prospects for the economy are not as uniformly rosy as earlier in the process of China’s post-Mao reform and opening. Now as then the people of China expect that their political leaders must address these issues in a meaningfully effective manner. So the issue comes down to what will Xi Jinping do differently from his predecessors to satisfy the people’s aspirations and concerns?
The author was a student at university in Shanghai at the time of the famous Third Plenary Session of 11th Central Committee in December 1978. On the campus of Fudan University it was a period of great enthusiasm for the politics of reform and opening and boundless optimism for China's future. Throughout China’s great and diverse land, the powerful political charisma of Deng Xiaoping alone went a long way to enforcing compliance with measures that challenged significant elements of the pre-reform political, social and economic status quo. Moreover, Mr. Deng with his distinguished record of military service enjoyed strong support from the PLA and security agencies which is so critical in China’s Leninist system.
Xi Jinping, unlike Deng Xiaoping is unable to offer the promise of a fresh and new ideology to buttress the implementation of his policy initiatives. The theoretical bases of the policies enunciated in this Third Plenary Resolution are the same that have guided the Party under the leadership of all of Mr. Xi’s predecessors since Chairman Hua Guofeng.
To strengthen his political position, Mr. Xi proposes to create a National Security Commission that will concentrate unified authority over security agencies, the police, and the military in the Office of the Party Chairman. One could expect that there will be vigorous resistance by the present security apparatus to any measures that weaken their existing prerogatives.
In addition, there are measures afloat to strengthen control of political discourse by cracking down on social media over the Internet, and to more rigorously sanction intellectuals who espouse political perspectives at odds with the Party's authoritarian people's democratic dictatorship.
These are all bold measures, not without an element of political risk.
In addition, there are measures afloat to strengthen control of political discourse by cracking down on social media over the Internet, and to more rigorously sanction intellectuals who espouse political perspectives at odds with the Party's authoritarian people's democratic dictatorship.
These are all bold measures, not without an element of political risk.
The Third Plenum’s proposal of measures to enhance economic justice are certainly consistent with the legitimating basis for the Chinese Communist Party's assumption of power as the vanguard of the proletariat and true representatives of the workers and peasants in 1949. Granting genuine ownership by farmers of the land that they till would go a long way in this direction. But practically speaking so much of the revenue of local governments is based on below value expropriation of rural property, that without this revenue stream local governments would require significant transfers from the Central authorities. Moreover, extension of the benefits of urban residency to all the people working in cities would also make great demands on Central revenues. It would mean increasing taxation to affect transfers from rich to poor. This would be politically very difficult to to bring about.
Similarly, significantly reducing the income of Chinese communist party cadres via stringent crackdown on their lucrative government associated business activities appears infeasible under current conditions. Related to this, measures such as capital account and interest rate liberalization, opening of state monopoly economic sectors to non-state competition including permitting foreign enterprises to challenge state-owned enterprises in the Chinese market would surely be countered through administrative measures by threatened local authorities.
So, one waits to see how the implementation of the Third Plenum Resolution which promises such fundamental transformations in so many of the intertwined political, economic and social institutions under the leadership of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
As an outsider, this author cannot conceive of how these administrative measures that would be overseen by Party branches embedded in all of China's institutions can bring such an ambitious but all the same essential political agenda to successful fruition. After all, what Mr. Xi proposes impinges exactly on the self interest of those called on to bring it to reality! What is really needed is a lot more transparency and honest debate in such a thoroughgoing process. For this, media that allows for expression of a free market place of ideas is necessary, but it is also impossible under the current stringent controls of the Party Central Committee Department of Propaganda.
Similarly, if the measures necessary to address China's current serious challenges were expressed through publicly available acts of legislation, then a judiciary whose authority transcended the prerogatives of Party Politics and Law committees, to which the police was fully subject, could in fact compel compliance by those powerful elements that would inevitably be discomfited by the government’s reform program.
In the absence of strong charismatic political leadership buttressed by strong support from security agencies and the military, a free press and an independent judiciary are the only mechanisms available to bring about compliance with measures that impact negatively on the wealthy and powerful. But it is clear from this year’s Party Document Nine that the current Party leadership sees constitutional government and western bourgeois liberalizing measures as inappropriate to China's socialism with Chinese characteristics and the overall legitimating bases for sustained Chinese Communist Party rule of China.
So from the outsider's perspective the Party leadership is caught between a rock and a hard place. If the increasing polarization of wealth continues, if people feel more and more betrayed by official corruption on the part of their political leaders, if China's economic growth stalls, naturally demands for new politics will increasingly arise. Stronger social measures to repress these, including concomitant increase in censorship of public discourse may not be sustainable in the long term. Already so much of the national budget must be dedicated to maintaining domestic political stability (wei wen). A return to the high levels of political consensus and patriotic engagement that the author observed in the Shanghai of the late 1970s and early 1980s, comparable he suspects to the sense of social cohesion and political optimism that existed in China in the early years of the current regime in the 1950s, means developing a fresh political program that responds more closely to the way modern Chinese understand themselves as citizens in a global community.
That is to say, to achieve that degree of support from civil society requires a regime whose institutions and public statements are consistent with the social values of Chinese people in China in the 21st century. In this regard one thinks of Sun Yat-sen in 1911, Mao Zedong in 1949, and Deng Xiaoping in 1978, great historical figures who are able to align themselves with the spirit of the times.
It remains to be seen where Xi Jinping will fit into the pantheon of China’s political leaders in history. The Third Plenum is where he will begin to form his political legacy. The challenges he faces are great. This is an era in China’s political development which again demands strong political vision and the vigour and willingness to stand up to decay, corruption and ossified institutions that do not serve effectively the requirements of a modern society. All of the great political leaders of China’s glorious past are remembered for their commitment to social justice and modern progress.
The degree of achievement of social justice and modern progress that occurs in China under the 5th generation of leaders headed by Xi Jinping will ultimately mark their place in Chinese history.
Thursday, December 05, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
My Take on Justin Trudeau's Recent Comments on China
Justin Trudeau's recent comments on China regardless of how ill-considered they may have been, do reflect the fact that the Liberal Party of Canada has a vision of Canada's relations with China that is quite distinct from the Canadian consensus reflected in the China policies of the NDP and Conservatives. Since Pierre Trudeau's meeting with Chairman Mao in 1973 through to Jean Chretien's policy of quiet diplomacy with regard to China's gross violations of universal human rights norms, the Liberals have tended to favor the interests of Canadian companies with extensive connections to Chinese Communist business networks over the the overwhelming opinion of most Canadians that the Government of Canada should speak out clearly in defense of Chinese citizens who have been unjustly treated by the Chinese regime simply for standing up for their political and civil rights. The NDP and the Conservatives have been much more willing to incur the wrath of the Chinese government by demanding explanations for the imprisonment without due process and pervasive reports of torture of human rights defenders, Falun Gong practitioners, and Tibetans, and Uyghurs denied their language, religious and cultural rights. The Liberals have traditionally been more friendly to the Chinese Communist leadership. Justin Trudeau's comments are consistent with the unspoken reality of his Party's stance on the Chinese regime.
Document 9: A ChinaFile Translation | ChinaFile
I had had a notion to translate this myself and post when I "have time" to do it I am surprised the English language version did not come out sooner. Anyway this document is definitely worth a read in English by those who cannot read Chinese
Document 9: A ChinaFile Translation | ChinaFile
"Introduction
Since the Party’s Eighteenth National Congress, under General Secretary Xi Jinping’s strong central leadership, the nation triumphantly convened the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the Party’s and nation’s various undertakings have made a good start, and the general mood of the Party and Government has been constantly improving. Cohesion among our nation’s people has become stronger and our confidence in our path, our theory, and our system has become more resolute. Mainstream ideology is becoming healthier and more vigorous. The spirit of the Party’s Eighteenth National Congress and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of important speeches have unified the thought of the entire Party, the entire country, and the entire people enormously. The ideological foundation of our united struggle is unceasingly solidifying."
Document 9: A ChinaFile Translation | ChinaFile
"Introduction
Since the Party’s Eighteenth National Congress, under General Secretary Xi Jinping’s strong central leadership, the nation triumphantly convened the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the Party’s and nation’s various undertakings have made a good start, and the general mood of the Party and Government has been constantly improving. Cohesion among our nation’s people has become stronger and our confidence in our path, our theory, and our system has become more resolute. Mainstream ideology is becoming healthier and more vigorous. The spirit of the Party’s Eighteenth National Congress and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of important speeches have unified the thought of the entire Party, the entire country, and the entire people enormously. The ideological foundation of our united struggle is unceasingly solidifying."
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Canada honours Cardinal Zen for his unwavering commitment to human rights, democracy and religious freedom in China
Canada honours Cardinal Zen for his unwavering commitment to human rights, democracy and religious freedom in China
: http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2013/10/31a.aspx Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Lawyers Challenge Judges' Authority in Trial of Chinese Activists - NYTimes.com
Lawyers Challenge Judges' Authority in Trial of Chinese Activists - NYTimes.com
"Raphael Droszewski, a first secretary of the European Union diplomatic delegation to China, said that he traveled to Xinyu City from Beijing, along with diplomats from the American and Canadian Embassies, in the hope of observing the hearing, but that they were refused entry to the courtroom on Monday."
"Raphael Droszewski, a first secretary of the European Union diplomatic delegation to China, said that he traveled to Xinyu City from Beijing, along with diplomats from the American and Canadian Embassies, in the hope of observing the hearing, but that they were refused entry to the courtroom on Monday."
Date of 3rd Plenary Session of Chinese Communist Central C'tee
@ChuBailiang: Communist Party 3rd Plenum date announced: 9-12 November.
http://twitter.com/ChuBailiang/status/395102998579269632
http://twitter.com/ChuBailiang/status/395102998579269632
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
My Op-Ed in Embassy Magazine today "Canada’s Cyber Conundrum" (non-pay walled link)
http://opencanada.org/features/canadas-cyber-conundrum/
"This internationalization of cyber espionage means CSEC not only has to satisfy the hunger of Canadian government departments, including Finance, for purloined data, but is also under pressure from foreign reciprocating agencies to supply its fair share of high quality cyber info to justify Canada’s continuing role in the international consortium."
Friday, August 23, 2013
Bo Xilai’s ‘fair and open trial’ smells like arbitrary rule - My Op-Ed in today's Globe and Mail
Bo Xilai’s ‘fair and open trial’ smells like arbitrary rule - The Globe and Mail
But despite full awareness in China that Mr. Bo, like most senior officials, has accumulated a massive fortune through various forms of kickbacks, he remains very popular among a significant part of the Chinese underclass. While boss of Chongqing, he enacted a number of populist measures in the city of nearly 30 million, including a very visible crackdown on organized crime, providing subsidized housing accessible to ordinary citizens, and extending social welfare measures to migrant workers. People see him as a supporter of the solidarity with workers and farmers that informed the Communist Party's rise to power in 1949.
This is in strong contrast to Mr. Bo's fellow senior leaders, former premier Wen Jiabao and former president Hu Jintao. They periodically made vague promises of respect for democracy, human rights and comprehensive rule of law at some undefined time in the future, when the developmental conditions are "right." But, clearly, that day is not coming any time soon. Instead, the income gap between the party elite and the lower classes gets wider year by year, with no sign of abating. Mr. Bo gave people hope of a developmental model offering more substantive benefits and justice for the rest.
But despite full awareness in China that Mr. Bo, like most senior officials, has accumulated a massive fortune through various forms of kickbacks, he remains very popular among a significant part of the Chinese underclass. While boss of Chongqing, he enacted a number of populist measures in the city of nearly 30 million, including a very visible crackdown on organized crime, providing subsidized housing accessible to ordinary citizens, and extending social welfare measures to migrant workers. People see him as a supporter of the solidarity with workers and farmers that informed the Communist Party's rise to power in 1949.
This is in strong contrast to Mr. Bo's fellow senior leaders, former premier Wen Jiabao and former president Hu Jintao. They periodically made vague promises of respect for democracy, human rights and comprehensive rule of law at some undefined time in the future, when the developmental conditions are "right." But, clearly, that day is not coming any time soon. Instead, the income gap between the party elite and the lower classes gets wider year by year, with no sign of abating. Mr. Bo gave people hope of a developmental model offering more substantive benefits and justice for the rest.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Bad news for me: 7 topics banned for academic discussion in China
The 7 things you can't talk about in China... http://bit.ly/16HVSqu
Indications of Communist Elite Dissatisfaction with Xi Jinping's Anti-democracy Policies
Outspoken China princeling takes on President Xi (repot in Singapore Straits Imes)
http://bit.ly/1aZ2jcc
"Why can't we learn from the Kuomintang (in Taiwan), reform ourselves and get elected, basing our legitimacy on people's authorisation and not on guns and cannon?"
http://bit.ly/1aZ2jcc
"Why can't we learn from the Kuomintang (in Taiwan), reform ourselves and get elected, basing our legitimacy on people's authorisation and not on guns and cannon?"
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Ford, Duffy and Chinese scandals
Having been educated in China, and subsequently spending more than 30 years there on and off, I have read a lot of Chinese newspaper reports spinning a convoluted but compelling narrative (based on little hard evidence) alleging serious misconduct by senior Communist officials, a surprising number of whom are depicted as secret agents for the CIA.
Most of these politically titillating accounts, read with considerable fascination during the Cultural Revolution period, were repudiated one by one in the years following Mao Zedong's demise in 1976. I am still waiting for a clear explanation of the mysterious death of Lin Biao, Chairman Mao's designated successor who allegedly died in September 1971. But, 42 years later, I am starting to doubt that patience is in fact its own reward. Oh well.
Recently, however, there have some strange new Chinese media reports to feed one's appetite for this kind of sordid thing.
For example, the official line on how British businessman Neil Heywood died in 2011 due to cyanide poisoning - administered at the behest of the spouse of Bo Xilai, the Communist Party General Secretary in the sprawling city of Chonqing - still doesn't seem to add up. Mr. Bo has been held without charge for over a year. Evidently the matter seems to be informed more by political motives and unknown factors than anything else. I wonder if the Bo matter will ever see credible resolution any more than Lin Biao's death.
But it is interesting that "political motives and unknown factors" have become the leitmotif of recent headlines in the Canadian media, too. Something about the reporting on Rob Ford, Nigel Wright and Mike Duffy seems strangely familiar, though I am more used to reading this kind of thing in Chinese and not in English-language media.
So what have we got here?
Clearly, a lot of people would like to see Mr. Ford cease to be the mayor of Toronto. And if it is true that he bought or was given cocaine, then he couldn't continue to be mayor. After all, under Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, possession of cocaine can lead to a sentence of seven years in prison. But these serious allegations of cocaine smoking against Mr. Ford him seem fantastic and incredible. It is difficult to imagine that the Mayor could be a periodic visitor to crack houses in Rexdale without it having previously being detected. At the very last, his looming corpulent presence makes him quite a readily recognizable figure. It is astounding that a description of the lurid content of this video was reported in the Toronto Star before the Star was able to post the video on its website.
The bottom line with the Rob Ford media hullabaloo is that there is no verifiable evidence available to demonstrate that he has engaged in illegal behaviour. Moreover, there is nothing to do about it until the video, described in the Toronto Star as showing the Mayor ingesting crack, is available for viewing and response. Latest indications are that the people allegedly holding the video have gone to ground and will never hand it over.
While Mr. Ford may be choleric and intensely reviled by many, he cannot be removed from office over this as things stand. But the damage to his reputation by these media reports about him will probably never be undone, no matter how many times we hear the lawyered incantation that the news agency repeating the allegations have "not seen the video and has not been able to validate any of the claims being made."
On the other hand, revelations by CTV News about the $90,000 gift from Nigel Wright to Senator Mike Duffy is something that warrants police attention. Canada's Conflict of Interest Act states that people commit a serious crime if they give a gift "that might reasonably be seen to have been given to influence the public office holder in the exercise of an official power, duty or function". And for a member of Senate on the receiving end, this could be determined in a court of law to fall into the category of accepting a bribe.
Mr. Duffy owed money to the Receiver-General to reimburse expense claims that had been subsequently disallowed. Mr. Wright helped him out with the repayment. The crux of the matter is: Was there any expectation that Mr. Duffy would render any service in his capacity as senator in exchange for the money?
The fact that Mr. Duffy did not publicly acknowledge the gift early on is a cause for concern. It suggests there may be factors underlying this transaction that have yet to see the light of day. Again, there appear to be "political motives and unknown factors" right, left and centre in this.
It is quite possible that there will never be any public resolution of either the Rob Ford or Mike Duffy stories. I feel uneasy about that. I am used to it in Chinese politics. I am not used to it in Canadian politics.
Most of these politically titillating accounts, read with considerable fascination during the Cultural Revolution period, were repudiated one by one in the years following Mao Zedong's demise in 1976. I am still waiting for a clear explanation of the mysterious death of Lin Biao, Chairman Mao's designated successor who allegedly died in September 1971. But, 42 years later, I am starting to doubt that patience is in fact its own reward. Oh well.
Recently, however, there have some strange new Chinese media reports to feed one's appetite for this kind of sordid thing.
For example, the official line on how British businessman Neil Heywood died in 2011 due to cyanide poisoning - administered at the behest of the spouse of Bo Xilai, the Communist Party General Secretary in the sprawling city of Chonqing - still doesn't seem to add up. Mr. Bo has been held without charge for over a year. Evidently the matter seems to be informed more by political motives and unknown factors than anything else. I wonder if the Bo matter will ever see credible resolution any more than Lin Biao's death.
But it is interesting that "political motives and unknown factors" have become the leitmotif of recent headlines in the Canadian media, too. Something about the reporting on Rob Ford, Nigel Wright and Mike Duffy seems strangely familiar, though I am more used to reading this kind of thing in Chinese and not in English-language media.
So what have we got here?
Clearly, a lot of people would like to see Mr. Ford cease to be the mayor of Toronto. And if it is true that he bought or was given cocaine, then he couldn't continue to be mayor. After all, under Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, possession of cocaine can lead to a sentence of seven years in prison. But these serious allegations of cocaine smoking against Mr. Ford him seem fantastic and incredible. It is difficult to imagine that the Mayor could be a periodic visitor to crack houses in Rexdale without it having previously being detected. At the very last, his looming corpulent presence makes him quite a readily recognizable figure. It is astounding that a description of the lurid content of this video was reported in the Toronto Star before the Star was able to post the video on its website.
The bottom line with the Rob Ford media hullabaloo is that there is no verifiable evidence available to demonstrate that he has engaged in illegal behaviour. Moreover, there is nothing to do about it until the video, described in the Toronto Star as showing the Mayor ingesting crack, is available for viewing and response. Latest indications are that the people allegedly holding the video have gone to ground and will never hand it over.
While Mr. Ford may be choleric and intensely reviled by many, he cannot be removed from office over this as things stand. But the damage to his reputation by these media reports about him will probably never be undone, no matter how many times we hear the lawyered incantation that the news agency repeating the allegations have "not seen the video and has not been able to validate any of the claims being made."
On the other hand, revelations by CTV News about the $90,000 gift from Nigel Wright to Senator Mike Duffy is something that warrants police attention. Canada's Conflict of Interest Act states that people commit a serious crime if they give a gift "that might reasonably be seen to have been given to influence the public office holder in the exercise of an official power, duty or function". And for a member of Senate on the receiving end, this could be determined in a court of law to fall into the category of accepting a bribe.
Mr. Duffy owed money to the Receiver-General to reimburse expense claims that had been subsequently disallowed. Mr. Wright helped him out with the repayment. The crux of the matter is: Was there any expectation that Mr. Duffy would render any service in his capacity as senator in exchange for the money?
The fact that Mr. Duffy did not publicly acknowledge the gift early on is a cause for concern. It suggests there may be factors underlying this transaction that have yet to see the light of day. Again, there appear to be "political motives and unknown factors" right, left and centre in this.
It is quite possible that there will never be any public resolution of either the Rob Ford or Mike Duffy stories. I feel uneasy about that. I am used to it in Chinese politics. I am not used to it in Canadian politics.
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
My Interview on Sun TV about BC NDP Candidate Frank Huang
I was interviewed by Ezra Levant for the Sun News program "The Source" on May 8, 2013 about the NDP candidacy in BC of Frank Huang who has been alleged to have ongoing connections with the Chinese Communist Party.
My response to Paul Evans on Canada's China policy published in May issue of Literary Review of Canada
In the April issue of In April Issue of the Literary Review of Canada, Paul Evans published an article on Canada's China policy: http://reviewcanada.ca/essays/2013/04/01/dancing-with-the-dragon/
The editor of this publication, Bronwyn Drainie, asked me to write a response which was published in an edited version in the May issue. Here is that text (it is not otherwise available on-line insofar as I am aware).
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Re: "Dancing with the Dragon" by Paul Evans (April 2013)
Evans suggests that in Canada "debate has been obsessed with a distinction between pursuing commercial and diplomatic opportunities with China versus promoting human rights . . . our domestic debate still rotates around whether we should be having economic relations with a country run by a Communist Party." Evans further hypothesizes that Canada has adopted a policy stance of "cool politics, warm economics" toward the PRC.
But his assertions do not stand up to scrutiny. Over the years Canada has adopted a highly consistent approach to relations with China. It is the same one articulated by our 1995 foreign policy statement "Canada and the World" based on "three pillars of diplomacy": the promotion of prosperity and employment; the protection of our security, within a stable global framework; and the projection of Canadian values and culture.
As to the first pillar, Canada wants fair and reciprocal trading agreements with China. We welcome Chinese investment, but as the Prime Minister made clear in his 2012 press conference announcing Government approval of CNOOC's acquisition of Nexen, Canada will not allow the Chinese state to gain control of Canadian economic resources through full acquisition of Canadian resource companies by Chinese state firms. But we do welcome Chinese state firms to invest in them as minority share holders.
As to the security aspect, Canada will continue to investigate Chinese state espionage in its economic, political and military aspects including cyber-espionage in Canada and to work in multi-lateral fora to encourage the Chinese regime to follow the norms of responsible global citizenship.
Finally with regard to the third pillar as the 1995 statement puts it: "Canada is not an island: if the rights of people abroad are not protected, Canadians will ultimately feel the effects at home. They understand that our economic and security interests are served by the widest possible respect for the environment, human rights, participatory government, free markets and the rule of law. Where these are observed, there is a greater prospect of stability and prosperity . . . Their observance, therefore, is both an end in itself and a means to achieving other priority objectives."
There is a strong cross-partisan consensus on how Canada should manage relations with the PRC. After all, even the Dalai Lama's honorary Canadian citizenship was achieved through a unanimous resolution of Parliament.
Evans' attempts to politicize Canada's China policy just doesn't conform with the facts.
Charles Burton
Brock University
Thursday, April 18, 2013
University shuts down Dalai Lama visit - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
This video is very much worth watching to the end.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Further Delay in Trial of Suspect in Death of Miss Liu Qian
In April 2011 the daughter of my friend and colleague, Liu Jianhui of the Central Party School in Beijing died in Toronto. Liu Qian was 23, a student at York University. Shortly thereafter, Brian Dickson was arrested for the murder of Miss Liu. Dickson remains imprisoned. A lengthy preliminary hearing was held in February 2012. The full trial was subsequently scheduled to begin on April 2, 2013.
Now I have learnt that the suspect's lawyer successfully achieved a delay in the start of the trial by getting a judge to agree to having mental health assessment of the accused done prior to the trial being held. This development occurred last Thursday, March 28, the day before the Good Friday/Easter holiday. It appears that the trial of Brian Dickson will likely be re-scheduled to begin at the end of this year and go over into 2014. That certainly is some long time after the young woman died in the spring of 2011. Her parents and all of us would like to see closure to the tragedy of the death of this only child of such a good and fine family. So now we have to wait even longer.
Can anyone explain to me what it going on here? Is it simply the proclivity of Canadian defence lawyers to seek to delay and delay? What sort of defence strategy could be behind this? I would certainly welcome any information from anyone reading this blog post.
In the meantime I feel a very deep sense of unease about all of this.
Now I have learnt that the suspect's lawyer successfully achieved a delay in the start of the trial by getting a judge to agree to having mental health assessment of the accused done prior to the trial being held. This development occurred last Thursday, March 28, the day before the Good Friday/Easter holiday. It appears that the trial of Brian Dickson will likely be re-scheduled to begin at the end of this year and go over into 2014. That certainly is some long time after the young woman died in the spring of 2011. Her parents and all of us would like to see closure to the tragedy of the death of this only child of such a good and fine family. So now we have to wait even longer.
Can anyone explain to me what it going on here? Is it simply the proclivity of Canadian defence lawyers to seek to delay and delay? What sort of defence strategy could be behind this? I would certainly welcome any information from anyone reading this blog post.
In the meantime I feel a very deep sense of unease about all of this.
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
My Op-Ed in Globe and Mail today "China’s Communists find Marxism"
My op-ed in the Globe and Mail March 6, 2013: "a fading caretaker regime that has more past than future, unable to stop increasing numbers of citizens from realizing the complete disconnect between the Party’s official ideology, the reality of Chinese politics today and the social values of Chinese young people."
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
140 Nobel laureates urge China to release Liu Xiaobo - www.ddinews.com
http://www.ddinews.gov.in/International/International+-+Other+Stories/Nobel+laureates+urge+China+to+release+Liu+Xiaobo.htm
And the report says 4,000,000 people from more than 130 countries signed an accompanying petition.
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Colloque: «La Chine et le Monde après le XVIIIe Congrès du PCC»
Colloque: «La Chine et le Monde après le XVIIIe Congrès du PCC»
I am speaking at the event Feb 21-2 in Montreal
I am speaking at the event Feb 21-2 in Montreal
PLA Cyber-Unit Has Hacked Into Canadian Pipeline Switches
China's Army Is Seen as Tied to Hacking Against U.S.
http://nyti.ms/XZRMHn
Comment: Question is how long can we blithely accept Chinese MFA denials that the Government of the PRC does not engage in computer hacking against critical Canadian systems?
BBC News - China military unit 'behind prolific hacking' - http://goo.gl/KXOmY via @Shareaholic
Full-text of the Mandant Report: http://intelreport.mandiant.com/Mandiant_APT1_Report.pdf
http://nyti.ms/XZRMHn
Comment: Question is how long can we blithely accept Chinese MFA denials that the Government of the PRC does not engage in computer hacking against critical Canadian systems?
BBC News - China military unit 'behind prolific hacking' - http://goo.gl/KXOmY via @Shareaholic
Full-text of the Mandant Report: http://intelreport.mandiant.com/Mandiant_APT1_Report.pdf
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