MP Chong to appear before U.S. Congress to discuss foreign interference by China

Conservative MP Michael Chong is going to D.C. after months of making headlines for being the target of foreign interference by China. Chong has been invited to testify before the United States Congress on the subject in September.

Chong will appear in-person before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China on Sept. 12, his office confirmed to CTV News.

The commission, made up of nine Senators, nine members of the House of Representatives and five senior administrators appointed by the U.S. president, was established in 2000 with a mandate to "monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China."

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“Transnational repression on the part of the government in Beijing is an international problem in democracies, not just in Canada, but in the United States and other democracies,” Chong told CTV News Channel. “Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are interested in hearing about transnational repression in Canada, not just with respect to my experience, but also that of Hong Kong democracy activists, and human rights activists who have been targeted here on Canadian soil by Beijing.”

He also said the American officials are interested in understanding the foreign interference situation in Canada as well as discussing solutions to counter it.

Reports first emerged in The Globe and Mail this spring that the Chinese government allegedly targeted Chong and his family via a Toronto-based diplomat in 2021 in retaliation for his condemnation of Beijing's treatment of Uyghur Muslims. The diplomat in question was declared "persona non grata" and expelled by the Canadian government in May.

Chong said he was never told about the specific threats at the time. Rather, he said the Canadian Security Intelligence Service briefed him more broadly about foreign interference in Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said neither he nor the public safety minister at the time knew of the alleged threats against Chong until they were reported in the media. He later said he instructed Canada's intelligence agencies to inform MPs immediately if there is a threat against them, regardless of whether it is considered credible or not.

The RCMP later confirmed the police had opened a criminal investigation into the allegations Chong was a target of Beijing.

Earlier this month, Global Affairs Canada also revealed a Canadian foreign interference monitoring system detected an "information operation" on the Chinese instant messaging platform WeChat targeting Chong during the federal byelections this past June.

“In short, no, I don't think (the government) took it seriously enough,” Chong said Thursday. “It took reports from publications like The Globe and Mail and CTV for them to wake up and understand that CSIS was right in warning about a serious national threat to the security of Canada and Canadians.”

Allegations of foreign interference by China in Canada's democracy have stacked up since early this year, prompting many opposition MPs to call for a full public inquiry.

Since then, more MPs have come forward to allege they've been targeted by China and a former RCMP officer has been charged with foreign interference-related offences, among other allegations of Beijing meddling in Canadian affairs.

“I think it's important to note that my case is one of many cases across Canada of many Canadians who suffer in silence,” Chong said. “My case happens to be very high profile case, but there are many, many Canadians who have been targeted by Beijing here on Canadian soil.”

The MP — who is also the Conservative foreign affairs critic — said he wants to see the Canadian government implement a foreign agents registry, and to stop importing goods produced through the forced labour of the Uyghurs, among other tools to deter China.

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Since the resignation of special rapporteur David Johnston in June, the federal government has not said who might lead a possible public inquiry into foreign interference, but Trudeau said earlier this month his government is "moving forward" with the process of launching one.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters Thursday he is “absolutely frustrated” that someone has yet to be appointed to head up a public inquiry.

“If the Liberals would have listened to us then we would have already had an inquiry,” he said. “We could have heard the recommendations and started putting into place some of those actions that were called for.”

“So this delay falls squarely at the feet of the Liberal government,” he added. “But we do remain cautiously optimistic there is progress being made.”

With files from CTV News Producer Stephanie Ha