Canada-China Relations Committee on Jan. 30th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

You have only 10 seconds.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

I don't think that answers my question.

Why did Canada send that delegation at a time when things were so sensitive, when it was clearly a demonstration of friendship at a time that you have already described as being one when things had worsened, when the relationship had changed? Why was that decision made?

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Be very brief.

[Marta Morgan]

Mr. Chair, there have been many visits and many relations that have been pursued with China over the course of this time period. We continue to build relationships in the areas where we can work together with China and where we can work to our mutual benefit while continuing to put a focus on resolving both the personal and the trade issues in front of us, which are serious.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Thank you very much, Mr. Warkentin.

Ms. Zann.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Deputy Minister, for your testimony today.

In your remarks, you paint a really complex picture of China and Canada's relationship with China. As my colleague from the Bloc Québécois also noted, all of the help that Canada has been to China is very important in our relationship, in relationship-building and in helping to work across the waves with folks on the other side of the ocean when they were struggling. Now it's nice to see that they are doing well.

My question for you is regarding the human rights issue. We know that Islamophobia has been rising around the world and it's very concerning for many of us. The Uighurs in particular are on the minds of many of us.

I'm just wondering what, in particular, our government is doing to try to help them by talking with our partners in China about the detention of Uighurs as well as the detention of our Canadians.

[Marta Morgan]

Canada raises human rights concerns at every opportunity and at every level. Our advocacy for human rights in China includes bilateral dialogue, joint or unilateral public statements, interventions in multilateral forums such as the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, monitoring and reporting, outreach, and participation in events that raise awareness and support communities whose rights are at stake.

For example, our mission reporting from Beijing and our outreach with Uighur communities inform our approach and our understanding of the issues and abuses that are happening in Xinjiang. Those efforts include making joint statements with other countries.

I would like to reinforce that we have had a very consistent approach to these issues. We raise our concerns on a wide range of human rights violations and we encourage others to join us at every opportunity we have.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

The cultural past of China is very rich and very deep, so is the current impasse in our negotiations regarding the two Michaels and Robert Schellenberg affecting our relationship with cultural exchanges?

Also, how do you see culture and sports as a way of bringing us together and trying to continue to create a strong alliance?

[Marta Morgan]

I think this goes to a broader question, which is that there are many promising areas for us to engage in constructively with China. Culture and sports are clearly two of those, but we also share many other common interests. A growing middle class of consumers in China, for example, seeks high-quality health products from Canada. There is an opportunity there for some of our cultural industries as well to exchange with China and to build understanding and build bridges between us.

Whether it's sports or students or exchanges, we have many opportunities to build mutual understanding between Canada and China and also to work together on tackling challenging issues that will require the active participation of China in order to make headway.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

You mentioned that climate change is something that China is also working very carefully to try to help us halt. Can you elaborate a little more on that?

Are the two countries working together on any specific projects to deal with climate change?

[Marta Morgan]

Yes, I would put climate change in that category of issues where China, obviously, being the world's second-largest economy with 1.4 billion people, needs to play a very constructive role. Canada has engaged China on environmental issues and climate change for many years. We co-hosted a meeting with China and the EU on climate change recently. We continue to engage with them at all levels on that issue, which is so important to all of us.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

That's all your time, Ms. Zann.

Mr. Williamson.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks to our witnesses for being here today.

Ms. Morgan, I have just one quick question. How many Uighurs does your department estimate are currently being detained in the People's Republic of China?

[Marta Morgan]

I would have to get back to you on that question.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Could you provide that number to the committee, please?

[Marta Morgan]

Yes.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Thank you.

Does the department have a country strategy on the People's Republic of China? If so, could that be tabled with this committee?

[Marta Morgan]

As the most populous country in the world and the second-largest economy, China plays a role in almost all issues that are of interest to us. It's a complicated relationship. It has opportunities and challenges. We manage it in a multi-faceted way with domestic, bilateral and international considerations.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Is there a country strategy on the People's Republic of China, and could you table it with this committee by February 3?

[Marta Morgan]

I'd be happy to provide more information to the committee about our approach to addressing the many challenges and opportunities with China.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

How do you propose doing that?

[Marta Morgan]

I'm happy to provide more information on our approach. It's just—

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Could we have the China strategy?

[Marta Morgan]

—that on issue of a “country strategy”, I'm not sure we would use that terminology, but we're happy to provide more information on our overall approach to China and the various aspects of it.