Approximately 100 Canadians are currently imprisoned in China, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs, despite assurances from the Chinese Embassy that Canadian visitors have little reason to fear arbitrary arrest. Blacklock's Reporter says the update comes amid ongoing concerns about the treatment of foreign nationals in China.“At any given time, approximately 100 Canadians are detained in China on a broad range of offences,” stated a June 17 briefing book for the deputy foreign minister. These offences range from minor infractions like immigration violations to serious charges such as drug trafficking and fraud. “These figures are subject to change,” the briefing noted.The identities of the detained Canadians have not been disclosed, with the Department of Foreign Affairs citing the Privacy Act as the reason for withholding individual case details.The issue of Canadians detained abroad remains a point of concern for the Canadian government. A separate 2023 report tabled in Parliament revealed that 910 Canadians are imprisoned in foreign countries, with the largest number — 557 — held in U.S. prisons. This is followed by 28 Canadians in Australia, 24 in Japan, 16 in the United Kingdom, and smaller numbers in countries like Turkey, Mexico, and Vietnam.Despite the detentions, Chinese officials have consistently denied allegations of mistreatment. “China is not a police state,” said former Ambassador Cong Peiwu in 2021 at Memorial University. “The vast majority of Canadian visitors have no worries.” He emphasized that foreigners visiting China, including Canadians, should feel safe: “It’s nothing like that. If you walk on the Chinese streets, it’s quite safe.”During the Memorial University event, a moderator questioned why any Canadian would risk traveling to China, given the possibility of arbitrary detention in the event of a political dispute. Cong responded, “When it comes to the Canadian people going to China, whether it’s for business, tourism, or study, they should not be afraid of anything like that.”Cong acknowledged that a “very, very small number of people” engaged in criminal activities may face legal consequences, regardless of nationality. “Of course, it’s quite reasonable and justified for us to take relevant measures,” he said, adding that the majority of Canadians should not be concerned about traveling to China.The lack of detailed information about Canadians detained in China has been a source of frustration for MPs. “It shouldn’t take a crisis for people to get basic information,” Conservative MP Dan Albas remarked during a 2020 hearing of the Commons Special Committee on Canada-China Relations.In the same discussion, Cong highlighted the disparity in educational exchange between the two countries. “There are more than 200,000 Chinese students studying in Canada, but only about 1,300 Canadian students studying in China,” he said, encouraging more Canadian students to study in China.
