http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=19373e7b-8066-4828-946c-08bfe91d3469&k=60420
China to Canada: mind your own business
Glen McGregor , Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, March 21, 2008
OTTAWA - China's ambassador to Canada is warning the Harper government against interfering in Chinese affairs with "irresponsible" statements about the unrest in Tibet.
Ambassador Lu Shumin said recent remarks from Canadian officials fail to recognize that China is attempting to restore safety and security in the face of what he called "violent crimes" by separatists in the Tibetan capital city of Lhasa.
"These irresponsible remarks will not do any good to the image of Canada for a champion of law and order," Lu said Friday. He also referred to Canada's own experience with Quebec nationalism.
"Here, you people also have the challenge of separatist forces. You don't want the country to be split. It's the same thing in China, too."
But he said any mischaracterization of the Chinese government response to the Tibetan situation "would be inappropriate and be considered as interference with China's internal affairs. It would also send wrong messages to Tibetan separatist forces and encourage their separatist activities and violence," Lu warned.
His comments came one day after Prime Minister Stephen Harper called on China to "fully respect human rights and peaceful protest" and "show restraint" in Tibet. Harper released his statement through Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre at a pro-Tibet rally on Parliament Hill on Thursday. Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier later called on China to begin talks with Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
China is facing mounting international condemnation of its crackdown against anti-government protests in Tibet and elsewhere. Clashes between demonstrators and Chinese authorities have turned violent, and estimates have put the death toll as high as 100. China's state media say 19 have died. There also been widespread reports of arrests and detentions.
Chinese security forces have moved to curb sympathetic demonstrations in Yunnan, Gansu and Sichuan provinces, all of which have significant Tibetan populations. Chinese embassies around the world also have been targets of demonstrations.
Calls for restraint in Tibet from foreign governments irk China, which considers the matter internal. China contends the demonstrations are criminal acts designed by Tibetan separatists to exploit the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games for political advantage.
"These are not peaceful demonstrations," Lu said. "They are highly violent crime, involving beating, looting, arson, smashing up property and causing serious disruptions." The protests have inflicted "heavy losses of life and property," he said.
Lu repeated Chinese government assertions the demonstrations in Tibet are co-ordinated by the "clique" of the Dalai Lama, who has threatened to resign his position if the violence in Tibet does not end.
Bernier's call for meetings with the Dalai Lama are also sure to annoy the Chinese government. It considers the Buddhist monk a separatist agitator and "splittist" whose public meetings with western leaders - Harper among them - it views as provocation.
"It's not a matter of human rights or expression of political views in a peaceful manner," Lu said. "This is a political scheme aimed at splitting China and achieving the so-called Tibetan independence."
China contends that Tibet is an inalienable part of China. The Communist Chinese government occupied Tibet in 1950, but the region first became a part of China during the Yuan dynasty of the 13th century, said Lu.
Harper inflamed already ailing Sino-Canadian relations last year when he received the Dalai Lama in his office on Parliament Hill, a move China considered offensive.
Harper has vowed he will not let economic interests dictate Canada's policies on human rights in China. Some observers believe China's refusal to designate Canada a government-approved tourist destination is a consequence of the flagging relations.
China to Canada: mind your own business
Glen McGregor , Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, March 21, 2008
OTTAWA - China's ambassador to Canada is warning the Harper government against interfering in Chinese affairs with "irresponsible" statements about the unrest in Tibet.
Ambassador Lu Shumin said recent remarks from Canadian officials fail to recognize that China is attempting to restore safety and security in the face of what he called "violent crimes" by separatists in the Tibetan capital city of Lhasa.
"These irresponsible remarks will not do any good to the image of Canada for a champion of law and order," Lu said Friday. He also referred to Canada's own experience with Quebec nationalism.
"Here, you people also have the challenge of separatist forces. You don't want the country to be split. It's the same thing in China, too."
But he said any mischaracterization of the Chinese government response to the Tibetan situation "would be inappropriate and be considered as interference with China's internal affairs. It would also send wrong messages to Tibetan separatist forces and encourage their separatist activities and violence," Lu warned.
His comments came one day after Prime Minister Stephen Harper called on China to "fully respect human rights and peaceful protest" and "show restraint" in Tibet. Harper released his statement through Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre at a pro-Tibet rally on Parliament Hill on Thursday. Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier later called on China to begin talks with Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
China is facing mounting international condemnation of its crackdown against anti-government protests in Tibet and elsewhere. Clashes between demonstrators and Chinese authorities have turned violent, and estimates have put the death toll as high as 100. China's state media say 19 have died. There also been widespread reports of arrests and detentions.
Chinese security forces have moved to curb sympathetic demonstrations in Yunnan, Gansu and Sichuan provinces, all of which have significant Tibetan populations. Chinese embassies around the world also have been targets of demonstrations.
Calls for restraint in Tibet from foreign governments irk China, which considers the matter internal. China contends the demonstrations are criminal acts designed by Tibetan separatists to exploit the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games for political advantage.
"These are not peaceful demonstrations," Lu said. "They are highly violent crime, involving beating, looting, arson, smashing up property and causing serious disruptions." The protests have inflicted "heavy losses of life and property," he said.
Lu repeated Chinese government assertions the demonstrations in Tibet are co-ordinated by the "clique" of the Dalai Lama, who has threatened to resign his position if the violence in Tibet does not end.
Bernier's call for meetings with the Dalai Lama are also sure to annoy the Chinese government. It considers the Buddhist monk a separatist agitator and "splittist" whose public meetings with western leaders - Harper among them - it views as provocation.
"It's not a matter of human rights or expression of political views in a peaceful manner," Lu said. "This is a political scheme aimed at splitting China and achieving the so-called Tibetan independence."
China contends that Tibet is an inalienable part of China. The Communist Chinese government occupied Tibet in 1950, but the region first became a part of China during the Yuan dynasty of the 13th century, said Lu.
Harper inflamed already ailing Sino-Canadian relations last year when he received the Dalai Lama in his office on Parliament Hill, a move China considered offensive.
Harper has vowed he will not let economic interests dictate Canada's policies on human rights in China. Some observers believe China's refusal to designate Canada a government-approved tourist destination is a consequence of the flagging relations.
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