IPAC Newsletter 07 May 2021

IPAC Global
Foreign Ministers from G7 states released a joint statement echoing calls led by IPAC for Taiwan’s “meaningful participation” in the upcoming World Health Assembly, one week after the launch of the #LetTaiwanHelp campaign.   

Australia
Senator Kimberley Kitching led calls for a review of a Belt and Road Initiative style deal between the State of Western Australia and Beijing, criticising partnerships with organisations closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party. 

Belgium
Samuel Cogolati MP led scrutiny of Chinese tech firm Alibaba’s branch at Liege Airport, with the Justice Minister responding with confirmation that Chinese intelligence agents could have access to sensitive areas of the airport. Alibaba would be required under Chinese law to send sensitive data to servers in China, where state security services would have access. Full story here.

European Parliament
The European Union has suspended political aspects of the EU-China CAI investment deal ratification process, though the technical process will continue. The move follows numerous interventions from IPAC members across the European Parliament and EU Member States highlighting human rights concerns in the deal, as well as China’s sanctioning of IPAC members. See our thread of IPAC members’ contributions to the CAI debate, and comments from Reinhard Bütikofer MEP and Margaret Bause MdB.

France
The French Senate unanimously passed a motion co-led by Senators André Gattolin, André Vallini and Olivier Cadic calling for Taiwan’s participation in multilateral institutions including the World Health Organization, International Criminal Police Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Full story here.

New Zealand
New Zealand’s parliament unanimously voted to approve a motion condemning severe human rights abuses against Uyghur people in the Xinjiang region, a watered down version of an opposition motion labelling the abuses as a Genocide. Full story here.

Simon O’Connor MP led scrutiny of revelations that New Zealand’s visa application centre in Beijing was hastily switched to a company owned by the Beijing police after intervention from Chinese authorities. Louisa Wall MP wrote in the Sunday Guardian explaining why IPAC is backing Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly.