Beijing has criticized a decision by Canada to grant a work permit to a Chinese citizen charged with smuggling and considered one of the country’s most wanted fugitives, the Beijing News reported yesterday.
“Canada’s conduct has prompted the strong disapproval of the Chinese people and China is extremely concerned by the Canadian decision,” the newspaper quoted foreign ministry spokesman Jiang Yu (姜瑜) as saying.
Yu said that although Canada had insisted it was not a refuge for criminals, “the attitude shown by Canada is totally different”.
Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said on Thursday that authorities had decided to give Lai Changxing (賴昌星) a visa. Canada’s courts have refused to deport him, citing concerns over China’s treatment of prisoners.
Kenney said Lai “got a work permit from officials out of our Vancouver office,” in accordance with court rulings that in some circumstances allow foreigners blocked from deportation to be granted a work permit.
Normally, foreign criminal suspects are not granted refugee status by Canada and are deported to the country seeking to prosecute them.
But China’s use of the death penalty and reputed abuse of prisoners has made Canadian courts reject Lai’s deportation.
Lai and his family fled to Canada in 1999 after China accused him of masterminding a US$6 billion smuggling ring.
Canadian officials refused Lai and his ex-wife Tsang Mingna (曾明娜) refugee status on grounds they were mere “common criminals,” but attempts to extradite them and their three children have been repeatedly blocked by Canadian courts.
The case has long been a diplomatic thorn between Canada and China and a focus of attention for international human rights groups.
China gave Canada a rare diplomatic assurance it would not execute Lai if he was found guilty, but a Canadian judge ruled in 2007 that risk assessments in the case failed to address the possibility that Lai might be tortured in China.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
Two people died and 19 others were injured after a Mexican Navy training ship hit the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said yesterday. The ship snapped all three of its masts as it collided with the New York City landmark late on Saturday, while onlookers enjoying the balmy spring evening watched in horror. “At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries,” Adams posted on X. Footage shared online showed the Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtemoc, its sails furled
RSS