Scotty

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/8587635

Archived link

One of Asia's largest military exercises kicked off on Monday in the Philippines, bringing together 17,000 personnel from seven countries for land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace drills designed to project strength and solidarity as regional tensions heat up.

This year’s Exercise Balikatan, the largest and “most complex” iteration yet, runs from April 20 to May 8 and, for the first time, features Canada and Japan as full-fledged participants.

The Philippines and the U.S. co-lead Balikatan (meaning “shoulder-to-shoulder" in Tagalog). Australia, France, and New Zealand will also participate; 17 countries are observers.

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Balikatan is also an opportunity for middle powers, such as Canada and Japan, to demonstrate political resolve and improve military interoperability.

Predictably, China was not pleased with Balikatan; its foreign ministry stated, “the last thing the [Asia Pacific] needs is division and confrontation as a result of the introduction of external forces.” Beijing’s China Military Online was even more alarmist, calling Japan–Philippines military co-operation “a dangerous pivot” and “a chilling watershed moment.”

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Archived link

One of Asia's largest military exercises kicked off on Monday in the Philippines, bringing together 17,000 personnel from seven countries for land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace drills designed to project strength and solidarity as regional tensions heat up.

This year’s Exercise Balikatan, the largest and “most complex” iteration yet, runs from April 20 to May 8 and, for the first time, features Canada and Japan as full-fledged participants.

The Philippines and the U.S. co-lead Balikatan (meaning “shoulder-to-shoulder" in Tagalog). Australia, France, and New Zealand will also participate; 17 countries are observers.

...

Balikatan is also an opportunity for middle powers, such as Canada and Japan, to demonstrate political resolve and improve military interoperability.

Predictably, China was not pleased with Balikatan; its foreign ministry stated, “the last thing the [Asia Pacific] needs is division and confrontation as a result of the introduction of external forces.” Beijing’s China Military Online was even more alarmist, calling Japan–Philippines military co-operation “a dangerous pivot” and “a chilling watershed moment.”

...

Here is an alternative Invidious link: https://invidious.nerdvpn.de/watch?v=T51yekxcXCE

"We're going against our own Canadian values."

A tense moment in Ottawa as a witness for Clean Energy Canada is pushed to explain why we should allow Chinese EVs into our market despite major human rights concerns. If the "economic choice" relies on forced labour, is it even a choice at least some Canadians are willing to make?

The actions of a former RCMP officer accused of violating security law for the benefit of Chinese authorities were an affront to Canadian sovereignty, a Crown prosecutor told British Columbia Supreme Court on Friday.

William Majcher pleaded not guilty to one charge under Canada’s Security of Information Act as his judge-alone trial got underway in Vancouver this week.

The Crown alleged he planned to use the threat of arrest to coerce a Vancouver-area resident and real estate mogul to comply with Chinese government demands.

Prosecutor Ryan Carrier told Justice Martha Devlin in his closing submissions on Friday that evidence shows the target was Hongwei Sun, also known as Kevin Sun, who was wanted by the Chinese government for financial crimes.

He said Sun was accused of defrauding the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and absconding to Canada with about $120 million in the early 2000s.

Majcher, meanwhile, had moved to Hong Kong following his retirement from the RCMP in 2007 and founded an asset recovery firm called EMIDR.

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Carrier said he acted as a proxy for Chinese police in pursuit of Sun, taking steps to help them do an “end-run” around an RCMP decision to halt their assistance in the case.

Carrier said Chinese police were able to “project” their power beyond China’s borders into Canada, constituting unauthorized foreign interference.

He said Majcher’s alleged actions constituted an “affront” to Canadian sovereignty and posed a serious threat to Sun, a Canadian permanent resident.

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Carrier said Majcher is charged under the section of Canada’s security legislation that deals with preparing to commit an offence under the same law, including actions for the benefit of or in association with a foreign entity or terrorist group.

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cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/8537944

Archive link

The Legislative Yuan [the unicameral legislature of Republic of China - Taiwan] formed the Taiwan-Canada Inter-parliamentary Amity Association.

Taiwan's Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said he was pleased to witness the association’s establishment and praised the close and friendly ties between the Taiwanese and Canadian legislatures.

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Since taking office as deputy speaker, Chiang said he has received five visiting Canadian parliamentary delegations. Although Taiwan and Canada are geographically distant and differ greatly in size, they are highly complementary and can be ideal partners, he said.

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Canada is home to a large Taiwanese community, and its natural landscapes and multicultural environment attract many Taiwanese visitors each year.

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The association will serve as a key platform for parliamentary engagement between Taiwan and Canada, including hosting visiting Canadian lawmakers and organizing delegations to Canada, he said.

Chiang said such interactions strengthen bilateral ties, promote closer cooperation, and improve the well-being of people in both countries.

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Archive link

The Legislative Yuan [the unicameral legislature of Republic of China - Taiwan] formed the Taiwan-Canada Inter-parliamentary Amity Association.

Taiwan's Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said he was pleased to witness the association’s establishment and praised the close and friendly ties between the Taiwanese and Canadian legislatures.

...

Since taking office as deputy speaker, Chiang said he has received five visiting Canadian parliamentary delegations. Although Taiwan and Canada are geographically distant and differ greatly in size, they are highly complementary and can be ideal partners, he said.

...

Canada is home to a large Taiwanese community, and its natural landscapes and multicultural environment attract many Taiwanese visitors each year.

...

The association will serve as a key platform for parliamentary engagement between Taiwan and Canada, including hosting visiting Canadian lawmakers and organizing delegations to Canada, he said.

Chiang said such interactions strengthen bilateral ties, promote closer cooperation, and improve the well-being of people in both countries.

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/8536899

Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs are calling on the Liberals to follow through on a trade co-operation framework with Taiwan after the territory's envoy to Canada said Ottawa halted the process suddenly.

Archived link

A senior Canadian diplomat said last week it's up to cabinet to decide how to move forward on the agreement, which he suggested is almost ready for a signature.

"The government is considering the timing and the nature of moving forward on it," Weldon Epp, the assistant deputy minister at Global Affairs Canada who oversees diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific, told the House foreign affairs committee on Thursday.

"I fully expect there will be decisions taken before too long on moving forward."

He was speaking after Taiwan's de facto ambassador Harry Tseng told Radio-Canada in a February report that the framework had been ready to be signed since April of last year.

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Tseng, head of Taipei's Economic and Cultural Office in Canada ... told Radio-Canada negotiating teams had initialled every page of the document. He said he suspected the Canadian government was stalling in order to improve relations with mainland China at Taiwan's expense.

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At last week's committee meeting, Bloc MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe accused the government of dragging its feet.

"It's an agreement that doesn't bring any risk," he said in French. "The only valid reason right now for why we are not signing the agreement is simply because we do not want to upset Beijing."

Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said the Tories want Ottawa to move "expeditiously" on the deal.

"We're very supportive of the arrangement," he told the committee.

...

Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs are calling on the Liberals to follow through on a trade co-operation framework with Taiwan after the territory's envoy to Canada said Ottawa halted the process suddenly.

Archived link

A senior Canadian diplomat said last week it's up to cabinet to decide how to move forward on the agreement, which he suggested is almost ready for a signature.

"The government is considering the timing and the nature of moving forward on it," Weldon Epp, the assistant deputy minister at Global Affairs Canada who oversees diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific, told the House foreign affairs committee on Thursday.

"I fully expect there will be decisions taken before too long on moving forward."

He was speaking after Taiwan's de facto ambassador Harry Tseng told Radio-Canada in a February report that the framework had been ready to be signed since April of last year.

...

Tseng, head of Taipei's Economic and Cultural Office in Canada ... told Radio-Canada negotiating teams had initialled every page of the document. He said he suspected the Canadian government was stalling in order to improve relations with mainland China at Taiwan's expense.

...

At last week's committee meeting, Bloc MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe accused the government of dragging its feet.

"It's an agreement that doesn't bring any risk," he said in French. "The only valid reason right now for why we are not signing the agreement is simply because we do not want to upset Beijing."

Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said the Tories want Ottawa to move "expeditiously" on the deal.

"We're very supportive of the arrangement," he told the committee.

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/8533219

Archived link

Sherap Therchin, the Executive Director of the Canada Tibet Committee (CTC), delivered a stark and personal testimony before Canada’s Subcommittee on International Human Rights, warning of the expanding reach of China’s transnational repression and its direct impact.

Appearing before the parliamentary body under the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (16:01:47 to 16:07:27), Sherap spoke during a hybrid session held in accordance with parliamentary procedure, alongside fellow witnesses including Maria Cheung, Grace Wollensak, Zaha Hassan, Marcos Kolga, Peter Mattis, and Zumretay Arkin.

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The Tibetan activist revealed that he is among 20 Canadians sanctioned by the Chinese government on December 21, 2024—an action he described as both symbolic and deeply consequential. While calling the sanctions “a badge of honour” reflecting his commitment to human rights, he emphasized that they have brought “real and lasting consequences.” Branded by Chinese authorities as a threat to national security and sovereignty, he said, those targeted have become subjects of sustained harassment and intimidation.

He detailed the increasingly hostile environment he has faced since the sanctions were imposed. He reported frequent phishing attacks, malware infections targeting the CTC’s website, and a steady stream of threatening online messages from anonymous sources.

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“These are not abstract concerns,” he told the committee, stressing that such pressures affect every aspect of life—from communication and work to personal safety and mental well-being.

...

Placing his experience within a wider context, he warned that his case is emblematic of a broader pattern of behavior by the People’s Republic of China. He cited findings from Canada’s Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference, which identified China as the most active state actor targeting the country’s democratic institutions.He also referenced Canada’s 2026 National Cyber Threat Assessment, which describes China as the most sophisticated and persistent cyber threat facing the country, engaging in espionage, intellectual property theft, and malign influence operations.

“This is not simply about disagreement with criticism,” he said. “It is about a state with a documented record of foreign interference, cyber aggression, transnational repression, and intimidation.”

...

He pointed to high-profile cases that illustrate the risks faced by Canadian nationals, including the detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China for nearly three years. He also referenced the 2014 detention of Kevin and Julia Garratt, as well as the long-term imprisonment of Huseyin Celil, a Canadian citizen of Uyghur origin held since 2006.

Concluding his testimony, Sherap delivered a stark warning: China’s repression is no longer confined within its borders. “It has gone transnational,” he said. “The threat is already here in Canada.”

...

Archived link

Sherap Therchin, the Executive Director of the Canada Tibet Committee (CTC), delivered a stark and personal testimony before Canada’s Subcommittee on International Human Rights, warning of the expanding reach of China’s transnational repression and its direct impact.

Appearing before the parliamentary body under the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (16:01:47 to 16:07:27), Sherap spoke during a hybrid session held in accordance with parliamentary procedure, alongside fellow witnesses including Maria Cheung, Grace Wollensak, Zaha Hassan, Marcos Kolga, Peter Mattis, and Zumretay Arkin.

...

The Tibetan activist revealed that he is among 20 Canadians sanctioned by the Chinese government on December 21, 2024—an action he described as both symbolic and deeply consequential. While calling the sanctions “a badge of honour” reflecting his commitment to human rights, he emphasized that they have brought “real and lasting consequences.” Branded by Chinese authorities as a threat to national security and sovereignty, he said, those targeted have become subjects of sustained harassment and intimidation.

He detailed the increasingly hostile environment he has faced since the sanctions were imposed. He reported frequent phishing attacks, malware infections targeting the CTC’s website, and a steady stream of threatening online messages from anonymous sources.

...

“These are not abstract concerns,” he told the committee, stressing that such pressures affect every aspect of life—from communication and work to personal safety and mental well-being.

...

Placing his experience within a wider context, he warned that his case is emblematic of a broader pattern of behavior by the People’s Republic of China. He cited findings from Canada’s Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference, which identified China as the most active state actor targeting the country’s democratic institutions.He also referenced Canada’s 2026 National Cyber Threat Assessment, which describes China as the most sophisticated and persistent cyber threat facing the country, engaging in espionage, intellectual property theft, and malign influence operations.

“This is not simply about disagreement with criticism,” he said. “It is about a state with a documented record of foreign interference, cyber aggression, transnational repression, and intimidation.”

...

He pointed to high-profile cases that illustrate the risks faced by Canadian nationals, including the detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China for nearly three years. He also referenced the 2014 detention of Kevin and Julia Garratt, as well as the long-term imprisonment of Huseyin Celil, a Canadian citizen of Uyghur origin held since 2006.

Concluding his testimony, Sherap delivered a stark warning: China’s repression is no longer confined within its borders. “It has gone transnational,” he said. “The threat is already here in Canada.”

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/8531977

Canadian MP Michael Ma was given the opportunity to correct the official transcript of his comments in a Parliamentary committee meeting and didn’t do so, the office of the Speaker of the House of Commons said.

Archived link

The Canadian Parliament’s official record shows Liberal MP Michael Ma was referring to Xinjiang — a region in China where reports of forced labour have been documented — in a committee meeting last month, contradicting the MP’s claims that he was misheard during a contentious exchange with a witness.

Ma was also given the opportunity to correct the official transcript and didn’t do so, the office of the Speaker of the House of Commons told the Star.

...

In last month's parliamentary hearing on forced labour in China, Liberal MP Michael Ma challenged Margaret McCuaig-Johnston of the China Strategic Risks Institute, asking if she has personally witnessed forced labour in China and disputing the legitimacy of China’s ongoing Uyghur genocide.

Ma's behaviour has been heavily criticized by rights groups and experts such as Rushan Abbas, the founder and President of the two time Nobel Peace Prize nominated Campaign for Uyghurs.

...

Canadian MP Michael Ma was given the opportunity to correct the official transcript of his comments in a Parliamentary committee meeting and didn’t do so, the office of the Speaker of the House of Commons said.

Archived link

The Canadian Parliament’s official record shows Liberal MP Michael Ma was referring to Xinjiang — a region in China where reports of forced labour have been documented — in a committee meeting last month, contradicting the MP’s claims that he was misheard during a contentious exchange with a witness.

Ma was also given the opportunity to correct the official transcript and didn’t do so, the office of the Speaker of the House of Commons told the Star.

...

In last month's parliamentary hearing on forced labour in China, Liberal MP Michael Ma challenged Margaret McCuaig-Johnston of the China Strategic Risks Institute, asking if she has personally witnessed forced labour in China and disputing the legitimacy of China’s ongoing Uyghur genocide.

Ma's behaviour has been heavily criticized by rights groups and experts such as Rushan Abbas, the founder and President of the two time Nobel Peace Prize nominated Campaign for Uyghurs.

...