WASHINGTON D.C. – Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong will be heading south of the border for a congressional hearing on Chinese repression.
Chong will be heading to Washington D.C. to testify at a Congressional-Executive Commission hearing to highlight the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) “use of transnational repression” states a hearing notice.
“Witnesses will discuss the diverse tactics used by the PRC, discuss specific cases of transnational repression and its effects on diaspora and dissident communities in the United States, Canada and worldwide, and offer recommendations for further congressional and administrative action and transatlantic cooperation,” the notice stated.
This hearing is scheduled for Sept. 12.
The notice stated the PRC in its systemic attempt to rewrite global norms has engaged in a campaign of transnational repression to harass diaspora communities and regime critics living around the world.
The Wellington-Halton Hills MP would be included as he has been the subject of reported targeting by China on more than one occasion.
In August, Global Affairs Canada revealed in a report it had detected an information operation targeting the MP with China’s involvement being greatly suspected.
The report stated a coordinated network of WeChat’s news accounts shared a large volume of false or misleading narratives about Chong including his identity, claims about his background, political stances and family’s heritage.
China’s involvement could not be definitively concluded but an analysis of data found it to be “highly probable.”
One third of the network were discovered to be state-media outlets and accounts while the remaining were anonymous with no previously published news stories about Canadian politics.
In June, the acting commissioner of the RCMP told a federal committee it was investigating a plot of alleged foreign interference and intimidation of Chong and his family.
This incident led to Zhao Wei, a Chinese diplomat, being expelled from Canada.
Chong, the Conservative’s foreign affairs critic, has been a vocal opponent of the People’s Republic of China particularly the treatment of Uyghur Muslims. He was one of 266 MPs who voted in favour of a motion declaring Beijing’s actions in the western Xinjiang region of China towards Uyghur Muslims as a genocide.
Chong did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
