Thank you, Chair, and welcome, Ambassador.
Even as you begin your new assignment, China has appointed a new ambassador to Canada and Ambassador Lu Shaye is demanding that China be allowed to participate and invest in all sectors of the Canadian economy. He has said very bluntly on a number of occasions that security concerns about state-owned enterprises investing in Canadian companies and human rights concerns are not up for discussion.
Now, when you presented your diplomatic credentials directly to President Xi, and that's a very great honour, did you raise human rights concerns over the lack of due process? You mentioned this—the death penalty, extrajudicial abuse of anyone considered a pro-democracy challenge to the Chinese Communist government, the president's stated intention recently to outlaw foreign human rights activists and missionaries, and the Chinese hacking of a number of Canadian government departments. Were you able to raise any of those very legitimate tangible Canadian concerns with President Xi?