China blocks visit by Australian MPs because of rights criticism

[ahojunk]

China blocks visit by Australian MPs because of rights criticism: sources
Reuters | Thu Apr 6, 2017 | 2:25am EDT
By Colin Packham | SYDNEY

China called off a visit by two Australian politicians after it took offense to a letter that called on it to address allegations of human right abuses, two sources familiar with the planned tour told Reuters on Thursday.

The members of parliament, one from the ruling coalition government and one from the opposition Labor Party, were scheduled to visit as part a parliamentary investigation into a rising tide of synthetic drugs trafficked from southern China.

But after the receipt of a letter from 11 countries - including Australia, Canada and Japan - calling on Beijing to investigate allegations of torture against human rights lawyers - the tour was canceled, the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media, told Reuters.

"They were told from Beijing that their visit could not be accommodated and following advice from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the tour was canceled," said one source.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration has tightened control over almost every aspect of civil society since 2012, citing the need to buttress national security and stability.

During that time, China has detained or questioned hundreds of human rights lawyers and other government critics, international rights groups have said.

It routinely accuses rights lawyers of collaborating with "foreign hostile forces" to undermine state power.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was last week forced to hold an emergency meeting with the Chinese ambassador to head off any possible diplomatic fallout after Canberra failed to ratify an extradition treaty with China.

The failure was a rare dent to Sino-Australia relations, which have improved in recent months, culminating in the spate of trade agreements signed in March following a visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.


(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Nick Macfie)


*******

Beautiful. If these idiots keep spewing unwarranted bs, they shouldn't be allowed to visit.
There are consequences.
.

 

[AndrewJin]

The failure of ratification will mean that more drugs will be transported to Australia, we won't take any action if required by them.

 

[Kapwercs]

The failure of ratification will mean that more drugs will be transported to Australia, we won't take any action if required by them.

Wow you are advocating illegal drug trade.

 

[AndrewJin]

Wow you are advocating illegal drug trade.

You have some comprehension issue.
If the victims are not in China, without a treaty, it's hard to maintain multinational cooperation.
If the victims are in China, or we ourselves find where they make drugs and how they transport, then it is a domestic issue.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

China blocks visit by Australian MPs because of rights criticism: sources
Reuters | Thu Apr 6, 2017 | 2:25am EDT
By Colin Packham | SYDNEY

China called off a visit by two Australian politicians after it took offense to a letter that called on it to address allegations of human right abuses, two sources familiar with the planned tour told Reuters on Thursday.

The members of parliament, one from the ruling coalition government and one from the opposition Labor Party, were scheduled to visit as part a parliamentary investigation into a rising tide of synthetic drugs trafficked from southern China.

But after the receipt of a letter from 11 countries - including Australia, Canada and Japan - calling on Beijing to investigate allegations of torture against human rights lawyers - the tour was canceled, the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media, told Reuters.

"They were told from Beijing that their visit could not be accommodated and following advice from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the tour was canceled," said one source.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration has tightened control over almost every aspect of civil society since 2012, citing the need to buttress national security and stability.

During that time, China has detained or questioned hundreds of human rights lawyers and other government critics, international rights groups have said.

It routinely accuses rights lawyers of collaborating with "foreign hostile forces" to undermine state power.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was last week forced to hold an emergency meeting with the Chinese ambassador to head off any possible diplomatic fallout after Canberra failed to ratify an extradition treaty with China.

The failure was a rare dent to Sino-Australia relations, which have improved in recent months, culminating in the spate of trade agreements signed in March following a visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.


(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Nick Macfie)


*******

Beautiful. If these idiots keep spewing unwarranted bs, they shouldn't be allowed to visit.
There are consequences.
.

This is wrong for china's power. China is itself trying to berry itself in a containment trap. The biggest beneficiary of this is likely the US.

Also, these two politicians had nothing to do with the letter. Why humiliate them which will lead to bad feeling among Australian lawmakers in general.

 

[lonelyman]

This is wrong for china's power. China is itself trying to berry itself in a containment trap. The biggest beneficiary of this is likely the US.

Also, these two politicians had nothing to do with the letter. Why humiliate them which will lead to bad feeling among Australian lawmakers in general.

These so called politicians don't mutter a word for millions innocent Muslim died in Iraq and Afghanistan due to illegal invasion, but busy pointing fingers at China's internal matters

 

[MultaniGuy]

China did the right thing.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

These so called politicians don't mutter a word for millions innocent Muslim died in Iraq and Afghanistan due to illegal invasion, but busy pointing fingers at China's internal matters

They did utter. Go check the record.

And anyways, it is not about who is right or wrong. It is about perception. And power.

The fact is that right now in this crucial stage China must be able to maintain good relations with its neighbors for its own benefit.

 

[Star Expedition]

Australia should know herself.

 

[takeitwithyou]

Australia should cut off all uranium transfer to China.

Uranium price increase around corner as China and India look to nuclear to reduce carbon emissions

 

[TaiShang]

Australia is only good to buy massive farms and do agriculture. We are not interested in investing their MPs, but their cows and sheep.

 

[jhungary]

Well, this is very common in politics, but this would not do good for China, because Australia will retaliate, indeed some Aussie think they already did by killing the Chinese-Australian Extradition Agreement last week, an agreement that was highly probably would have gone thru.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Australia is only good to buy massive farms and do agriculture. We are not interested in investing their MPs, but their cows and sheep.

Is that the reason why hundreds of thousands of students go to Australia for their study?