Tuesday, February 23, 2021 19:30 PM (GMT + 7)
Canadian MPs vote that China’s actions against the Uighurs in Xinjiang are “genocidal” crimes, a move that has increased tensions between the two countries.
Demonstrators hold banners outside Parliament building in Ottawa, Canada.
Most of the Canadian parliamentarians voted in favor of the non-binding resolution. The vote was conducted by the Conservative, Liberal, New Democrats, Québécois and Greens.
The resolution was passed by 266-0, but Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet abstained. Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau was the only one of the cabinet present at the vote, abstaining on behalf of the members of the government.
The resolution affirms Canada’s stance that China commits “genocide” against the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang. The resolution also includes a clause calling on the International Olympic Committee to strip China of the right to host the 2022 Olympics.
The US government estimates that 2 million Uighur minorities have been detained by China in recent years, concentrated in educational institutions in Xinjiang.
The resolution increased pressure on Prime Minister Trudeau’s administration to take a tougher stance towards China.
The vote also officially made Canada the first country to support the stripping of China’s right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics because of human rights issues, according to CNN.
More than 100 human rights organizations around the world have called for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics. The event is scheduled to be held in Beijing next February.
Canada’s parliament passed the resolution a month after former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the point “China commits genocide”. New Foreign Minister Antony Blinken also expressed similar views.
China has repeatedly denied Western allegations of minority issues in Xinjiang. On February 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Van Ban urged foreign countries to “stop interfering in China’s internal affairs in the name of Xinjiang issues”.
After the February 22 vote, Canadian Foreign Minister Garneau said Trudeau’s administration had no objection, but that charges against China should be investigated by international experts.
Source: http: //danviet.vn/quoc-gia-dau-tien-ung-ho-tuoc-quyen-dang-cai-olympic-2022-cua-trung-quoc-50202 …

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on January 19 attacked China for its treatment of the Uighurs in the autonomous region …
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