On 15 October 2020, Ambassador Cong Peiwu held a video press conference on China-Canada relations. Ambassador Cong elaborated China's view and position on the bilateral ties and took questions regarding Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Meng Wanzhou incident and etc. Media outlets from both countries including Canadian Press, Globe and Mail, National Post, the Hill Times, Toronto Star, CTV, Omni Television, Xinhua News Agency, China News Service, and CCTV attended the conference. The press conference was broadcast live via the Embassy's Twitter account.
Ambassador Cong reviewed the past 50 years of the bilateral ties and emphasized that a healthy and stable relationship between China and Canada is in the common interest of our two peoples. However, only through mutual respect and equal treatment can such bilateral relations achieve steady and stable growth. China hopes that Canada will take a long-term perspective and work together in the same direction with China to strive to open up more bright prospects for the bilateral relations.
Ambassador Cong elaborated China's position on issues related to Hong Kong and Xinjiang, emphasized that they are purely China's internal affairs, which brook no interference from the outside.
While answering the question on Canada's accepting "refugees" from Hong Kong, Ambassador Cong said "We strongly urge the Canadian side not to grant so called political asylum to those violent criminals in Hong Kong. Because it is the interference in China's domestic affairs. And certainly it will embolden those violent criminals. So if the Canadian side really cares about the stability and prosperity in Hong Kong, and really cares about the good health and safety of those 300,000 Canadian passport holders in Hong Kong, and the large number of Canadian companies operating in Hong Kong SAR, you should support those efforts to fight violent crimes, those efforts to make sure that the one country two systems more steadily and comprehensively implemented in Hong Kong. That is exactly what the National Security Law in Hong Kong SAR is meant to be. So I'd like to suggest that people here take an objective and fair view of what's happening in Hong Kong, and to make sure not to interfere in those domestic affairs of China so as to prevent further damage to our bilateral relationship."
On the question related to Meng Wanzhou incident, Ambassador Cong emphasized that it is a grave political incident, plotted by the United States with the purpose to bring down Huawei and other Chinese high tech enterprises. Canada has served as the accomplice in the process. The Chinese side urges the Canadian government to make the right decision as soon as possible to release Madam Meng and ensure her safe return back to China on the basis of fairness and justice.
To view the video of the entire press conference, please click the following links:
Video 1: http://ca.china-embassy.org/eng/sp/t1824774.htm
Video 2: http://ca.china-embassy.org/eng/sp/t1824773.htm