A delegation of MPs and senators is heading to China this week, and the detention of two Canadians in the Asian nation is expected to be a major topic of discussion.
The diplomatic trip, scheduled before last month鈥檚 detentions, is being taken by members of the Canada-China Legislative Association, a bipartisan group of four MPs and two Senators with a shared interest in Canada-China relations.
Conservative MP Michael Cooper, who is joining three Liberal MPs on the trip, called the ongoing tensions worrisome but insisted 鈥渨e鈥檙e going and that鈥檚 the plan.鈥�
鈥淚 and all the members of the delegation want to do whatever we can to play a constructive role to see the safe and speedy return of the two Canadians,鈥� Cooper said in an interview on CTV鈥檚 Power Play.
This is the highest level Canadian delegation to visit China since Michael Kovrig, a diplomat on leave from Global Affairs employed by the International Crisis Group in Beijing, and Michael Spavor, an entrepreneur who organized trips to North Korea, were arrested on Dec. 10.
Their detentions came nine days after Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested at the Vancouver International Airport and accused of sidestepping U.S sanctions against Iran.
China ratcheted up its accusations against the two detained Canadians on Thursday, with the country鈥檚 chief prosecutor declaring that the pair broke Chinese law 鈥渨ithout a doubt.鈥�
"We have said here that these two Canadian citizens are under investigation in accordance with law for engaging in activities that undermine China's national security," said the prosecutor, Zhang Jun, at a briefing in Beijing.
"It is not convenient to disclose more information now."
Those comments don鈥檛 offer any new information for Kovrig鈥檚 distressed family and friends, who still don鈥檛 know why or for how long he鈥檚 being detained, said Robert Malley, president of the Crisis Group.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know what law the Chinese authorities are talking about,鈥� said Malley, who once served on U.S President Barack Obama鈥檚 national security council.
As for the suggestion that Kovrig did anything to undermine China鈥檚 national security, Malley said those accusations are false.
鈥淏ut they know this as well as I do,鈥� he said.
As evidence, Malley says that analysts with Crisis Group were being invited to meet with Chinese officials up until the day Kovrig was arrested.
鈥淪o it鈥檚 very hard to imagine that it鈥檚 anything that he was doing or the organization was doing that triggered China鈥檚 unhappiness.鈥�
Malley says the detentions undermine China鈥檚 recent efforts to bill itself as open for business.
鈥淧articularly now since President Trump was elected, China wanted to grab this mantle of being the responsible actor on the world stage that was standing up for certain rules. This really stands in absolute flagrant contrast to that message, and it can鈥檛 be good for China. It certainly is not good for Michael,鈥� he said.
MP: 鈥業t was better that we go than not go鈥�
After news broke of Kovrig and Spavor, Minister of Tourism Melanie Joly postponed a planned trip to China to attend a tourism event at the last minute. Jeremy Ghio, a spokesperson for Joly鈥檚 office, told 麻豆影视 that the delay to her trip was 鈥渕utually agreed to鈥� by both countries.
Cooper said that despite planning to discuss the Canadians鈥� detention, the purpose of the trip is to engage directly with Chinese government officials to discuss a broad range of issues, such as trade.
On Thursday, the United States issued an updated security statement, advising its citizens to 鈥渆xercise increased caution in China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws as well as special restrictions on dual U.S.-Chinese nationals.鈥�
Ottawa has yet to update for Canadians heading to, or who are already in, China, though the current instruction is to 鈥渆xercise a high degree of caution.鈥�
The six Parliamentarians on the trip will stay in touch with Global Affairs Canada and embassy officials. Cooper said that, if there were concerns about safety, the group would not be going.
鈥淭he message from Global Affairs Canada was that it was better that we go than not go,鈥� Cooper said.
According to the delegation will be visiting Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.
The two detained Canadians have only had one consular visit since their arrests. John McCallum, Canada鈥檚 ambassador to China, met with the men individually in December.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has repeatedly called on China to release the men.
