China sought PM's support for Beijing Olympics in exchange for hostages, says MacKay
May tie Ottawa's hands in offering diplomatic rebuke against China over human rights abuses
The Chinese asked American negotiators to secure a personal appearance by Justin Trudeau at the Beijing Winter Olympics in exchange for the release of hostages Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, says former Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay.
“I had heard from a highly placed source in the district attorney’s office, part of the negotiation that they wanted to enlist the Americans to have Canada promise to send a high level representative of our country, namely the Prime Minister, to attend the games,” MacKay said.
Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were released September 24th after being imprisoned in China for almost three years. Their arrest on espionage charges was widely seen as a retaliatory response to the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver, following an extradition request by the U.S.
In seeking the release of Wanzhou in exchange for the two Michaels, Chinese negotiators also sought to score a diplomatic coup with an American pledge, Trudeau would personally appear at the Beijing Winter Olympics set to begin February 4th.
The Americans reportedly balked at asking Canada to guarantee Trudeau’s appearance at the games.
“They said ‘we can’t do that. We’re not empowered to do that and we won’t be part of that discussion,” MacKay said.
It’s unclear as to whether Trudeau later agreed to the Chinese terms as part of the haggling over the release of the hostages.
“It’ll be very interesting to see, if he (Trudeau) does attend.”
If accurate, this paints a picture of China as both outwardly belligerent, and yet acutely sensitive about showing its citizens there is international support for the ruling Xi Jinping regime.
“This is the audacity of the Xi Jinping regime, that they would, in those hostage negotiations, go so far as to suggest they wanted to have the promise that the PM of Canada would attend the games,” MacKay said.
If Trudeau secretly agreed to China’s demands he show up personally to the games, it would present an awkward break in solidarity with the Biden administration’s decision not to send an official U.S. delegation to the games.
The U.S. “diplomatic boycott” is aimed at rebuking China over its human rights abuses.
“There’s an arrogance that permeates from that regime because they’ve gotten away with it in the past. There’s been no real pushback,” MacKay said.
This also raises questions about what else the Liberal Government may have secretly promised Beijing in exchange for their cooperation on releasing Kovrig and Spavor.
The government has still not announced a decision on whether to allow Huawei to rollout Canada’s 5G network.
Please subscribe and check out the Marc Patrone Show on Sauga 960am 1pm ET to 3pm ET Mondays through Fridays