Greens back motion to vote over Uighur genocide declaration in Xinjiang, China
4 May, 2021 02:36 AM
6 minutes to read
Human rights organisations say around one million Uighurs are being held at detention camps in the Xinjiang province - which China denies. Video / Sky News / Getty
Human rights organisations say around one million Uighurs are being held at detention camps in the Xinjiang province - which China denies. Video / Sky News / Getty
Social issues reporter, NZ Heraldmichael.neilson@nzherald.co.nz
The Green party supports a Parliamentary motion to vote on if the abuse of the Uighur minority in China amounts to genocide.
Leaders of Labour and National voice caution, trade concerns over declaration of Uighur genocide in Xinjiang, China
3 May, 2021 10:57 PM
5 minutes to read
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said genocide had a very specific international legal definition, but any decision would not undermine New Zealand s grave concerns . Photo / File
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said genocide had a very specific international legal definition, but any decision would not undermine New Zealand s grave concerns . Photo / File
The leaders of Labour and National are voicing caution over any genocide declaration around China s treatment of its Uighur population, with both parties also concerned over potential trade repercussions.
Labour has genocide term removed from debate over Uighur abuses
4 May, 2021 06:15 AM
5 minutes to read
Act s Brooke van Velden, who put forth the original motion, says she is disappointed but happy to still debate human rights issues. Photo / File
Act s Brooke van Velden, who put forth the original motion, says she is disappointed but happy to still debate human rights issues. Photo / File
Labour is being accused of softening language around treatment of the Uighur minority in China after having the term genocide removed from a Parliamentary debate tomorrow.
Act had originally requested Parliament debate whether human rights abuses in the Chinese region of Xinjiang amounted to genocide, and in turn call on the Government to fulfil its obligations under international law.
Jacinda Ardern Admits NZ-China Values Becoming ‘Harder to Reconcile’
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has conceded that the interests of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were becoming “harder to reconcile” on the world stage but noted that these differences did not define NZ-China relations.
Ardern’s comments come just weeks after her government endured stinging criticism from UK politicians over Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s reluctance to see the Five Eyes’ arrangement expanded into other areas, including human rights dialogue.
In a speech to the China Business Summit on Monday, Ardern said her government took a “principles-based approach” to foreign policy and made decisions independently and in line with NZ’s interests and values.
2021-05-03 07:20:43 GMT2021-05-03 15:20:43(Beijing Time) Sina English
New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O Connor on Monday expressed his expectation to see the bilateral FTA upgrade between New Zealand and China come into force soon. Speaking at the China Business Summit 2021, O Connor reiterated the importance of trade with China, and said that New Zealand s trade relationship with China is complementary and resilient, and both sides benefit from it. Although the advent of COVID-19 has disrupted so much, in fact our bilateral goods trade has held up pretty well. New Zealand exports by value were down less than 1 percent in 2020 when compared to 2019, itself a record year for our trade, said O Connor.