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CBC
4 days ago
- Business
- CBC
30 MPs accepted $230K in free travel last year, mostly for trips to Taiwan
Social Sharing Members of Parliament accepted more than $230,000 in flights, hotels and gifts from foreign governments, advocacy groups and private companies last year according to an annual report from the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner. Konrad von Finckenstein's report on the sponsored travel accepted by MPs for 2024 reveals that 30 MPs accepted trips to locations around the world including Colombia, the Ivory Coast, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, France and Germany. But more than half of the $230,000 in travel accepted by federal legislators was paid for by Taiwan, which spent just over $126,000 bringing MPs to their country. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) separately paid just over $11,000 to bring Bloc Québécois MP Yves Perron to Taiwan, and almost $1,400 to bring former independent MP Kevin Vuong to that country. IPAC does not accept money from governments. Instead it relies on donations from private foundations and organizations that are onside with IPAC's efforts to counter the global influence of the Chinese Communist Party. While the standing orders of the House of Commons prohibit MPs from accepting gifts or benefits that could influence their activities as federal legislators, an exception is made when it comes to travel. The standing orders say that a member can accept sponsored travel over $200 when the resulting trip relates to their job, providing they publicly disclose the value of the trip within 60 days of returning home. The $230,000 total for 2024 marks a sharp decline from 2023 when MPs accepted more than $840,000 in sponsored travel. In total the 30 MPs accepted $1,796 in gifts, $10,417 in "other" travel benefits, $41,144 in accommodations and $177,369 in travel costs. The cost of travel to Taiwan Of the 38 trips taken by the 30 MPs on Finckenstein's list, the single most expensive journey was a six-day trip to Taiwan taken last May by Liberal MP Judy Sgro. That trip cost Taiwan's taxpayers a total of $17,172. Sgro accepted the most travel of any MP in 2024. Including Taiwan, and her two trips to Paris, Sgro accepted more than $24,000 in sponsored travel. The 15 trips to Taiwan make up a disproportionately large share of the overall cost of sponsored trips because of the high cost of airfares. The value of sponsored airfares to Taiwan's capital, Taipei, for example, range in price from just under $6,000 to just over $15,000. The only exception to that was Vuong's $200 transportation costs to Taipei. Other notable trips include former Liberal MP Omar Alghabra's trip to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to attend a clean energy conference. That trip cost just over $9,000 and was paid for by Ontario Tech University. Liberal MP James Maloney accepted an $8,608 trip to Ukraine sponsored by the Yalta European Strategy, an annual conference held in Ukraine. The conference also paid $6,173 to bring over Liberal MP Yvan Baker. Former Liberal MP Chandra Arya, who was dropped as the candidate in the Ottawa riding of Nepean days before the election call, accepted a $5,905 government-sponsored trip to Bangladesh and a $5,742 trip to Côte d'Ivoire paid for by the World Bank.
RNZ News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
China accused of foreign interference in Solomon Islands after minister quits international group
By foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Solomon Islands reporter Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong , ABC Photo: 123RF In short: What's next? China's Embassy in Solomon Islands has become embroiled in a foreign interference controversy after allegedly forcing a newly appointed minister in the Pacific island nation to quit an international group pushing back against Beijing's growing global influence. Rural Development Minister Daniel Waneoroa announced on Sunday he had left the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) - which draws in politicians from more than three dozen countries - saying he made the decision "in the interest of fostering stability and aligning with a collective national vision" under Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele is balancing ties with China. Photo: AP / Mark Schiefelbein That drew a furious response from IPAC, which accused China of "bullying behaviour", saying Beijing had issued a "direct and shocking challenge" to the sovereignty of Solomon Islands. Waneoroa was only appointed Rural Development Minister 10 days ago. Manele offered him the position to coax him away from a broad coalition of MPs - including both government defectors and opposition MPs - which had coalesced to challenge the prime minister's hold on power. In the end Manele warded off the challenge by cobbling together a new majority in parliament, forcing his political opponents to abandon a motion of no confidence they were planning to issue in parliament last week. But the flurry of horse trading also created a diplomatic headache for Manele, because of Waneoroa's position as one of two Solomon Islands "co-chairs" for IPAC. The ABC has been told China was angered by Mr Waneoroa's position with IPAC, which maintains strong links with Taiwan and which has tried to build international pressure on Beijing over human rights abuses, including in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. The group has previously accused China of resorting to threats and blackmail to stop MPs from several developing countries joining an international IPAC conference hosted in Taiwan in June last year. Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele. Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Koro Vaka'uta Over the weekend a prominent civil society group in Solomon Islands said the Chinese embassy had demanded to meet Waneoroa, and suggested embassy officials had threatened to withdraw development funding from development programs because of his links to IPAC. In a stinging statement, Transparency Solomon Islands said on Saturday that China's actions risked destabilising Manele's government, and demanded the embassy stop "interfering" in local politics. "The People's Republic of China must understand: Solomon Islands is not a satellite state like Hong Kong," it said. "No embassy has the right to issue political demands or threats to our sovereign nation." The other IPAC co-chair in Solomon Islands, prominent MP Peter Kenilorea Jr, also told the ABC that he was "aware that Hon Waneoroa had been pressured by the Chinese embassy here in Solomon Islands to quit IPAC for some time now". China has denied interfering in the Solomon Islands and said the allegations are false. Photo: AP / Mark Schiefelbein, file photo And on Sunday afternoon Waneoroa revealed he had resigned from the group on Thursday last week. He said while he "acknowledged the value" of his IPAC experience, "the current political landscape demands leadership that is responsive and united." "I believe that aligning with [Mr Manele's coalition] GNUT is not only about policies, but about building a just, equitable, and prosperous Solomon Islands," he said. In the wake of his announcement, IPAC accused China of using its investments in Solomon Islands as "leverage" against Waneoroa and the government. "For a country that boasts of not having imperial ambitions, China's actions in the Solomons have the hallmarks of neo-colonialism," said IPAC executive director Luke de Pulford. "What China fails to realise is that this bullying behaviour is fomenting deep resentment in the Solomons and everywhere else they do it. It will backfire eventually. "In the meantime, the world is watching to see if the Solomon Islands government responds to this direct and shocking challenge to their sovereignty." China has strengthened ties in the Solomon Islands and other countries in the Pacific. Photo: Xinhua / Liu Bin/EPA China's embassy in Solomon Islands did not say whether it had made any demands of the minister, but in a statement said the foreign interference allegations were "baseless". "China will never interfere in Solomon Islands' internal affairs, and also firmly oppose any other countries' interference in Solomon Islands' internal affairs," it said. "[The] Chinese embassy firmly opposes such baseless allegation, and reiterates its support to the political stability of Solomon Islands." Like his predecessor Manasseh Sogavare, Manele has been intent on building closer ties with China in the wake of Solomon Islands' decision to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019. Since then China has made significant investments in Solomon Islands infrastructure - including a massive new stadium for the Pacific Games and a large new medical centre opened this year - as well as signing contentious security and policing pacts with the Pacific nation. Meanwhile, Solomon Islands has been a vocal supporter of China's claims over Taiwan, with Manele signing a joint statement last year that said it "firmly supports all efforts by Chinese government to realise national reunification". Solomon Islands officials have also pushed to stop Taiwanese officials from attending this year's Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Honiara, risking fresh division with Taipei's remaining allies in the region. Last year Kenilorea Jr told IPAC's conference in Taiwan that he would personally like to see Solomon Islands re-establish ties with Taipei, drawing condemnation from Manele's government. -ABC
The Independent
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
China's ‘interference' blamed on resignation of Solomon Islands minister from group critical of Beijing
China has been accused of interference in the Solomon Islands for allegedly forcing a minister to quit from a global alliance of parliamentarians critical of Beijing 's growing influence. Solomon Islands' rural development minister Daniel Waneoroa announced his resignation from the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) on Sunday to support the ruling government. Mr Waneoroa said he was stepping down from his role as one of the co-chairs of IPAC to contribute to national political stability. 'This decision reflects my personal conviction and unwavering commitment to the principles of democracy, transparency, and accountability,' Mr Waneoroa said in a statement. China's embassy in the Solomon Islands denied the allegation of interference as 'baseless'. Ipac is an international and cross-party group of lawmakers from democratic countries who work together to counter the Chinese government's growing global influence. It has raised concerns about Beijing's actions in regions like Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong. China's influence increased significantly during the term of prime minister Jeremiah Manele's predecessor, with the country switching diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China and striking a secret security pact. It thrust the Pacific archipelago of 700,000 into international spotlight as the alliance raised fears of China's security forces gaining a foothold in the region long dominated by the US, Australia, and New Zealand. The resignation has drawn swift condemnation from Ipac and non-profit organisation Transparency Solomon Islands, which blamed China for its interference in politics on the island. The Ipac accused China of 'bullying behaviour' and said Beijing has issued a "direct and shocking challenge" to the sovereignty of the Solomon Islands, according to ABC Australia. The Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) called on the Chinese embassy in Solomon to not 'create further political instability in our country for your own interests'. 'The people of Solomon Islands have endured enough political turmoil. We need a stable government that can focus on addressing our developmental, economic, and social challenges.' Mr Waneoroa resigned from Ipac just 10 days after he was appointed rural development minister. He has served as the chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environment at the Ipac. Mr Waneoroa's decision came after the Chinese embassy requested a meeting with the minister over his affiliations with the Ipac, which angered China with its strong links with Taiwan and its efforts to mount international pressure on Beijing for its alleged human rights violations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, according to Transparency Solomon Islands. It said: "The People's Republic of China must understand: Solomon Islands is not a satellite state like Hong Kong. "No embassy has the right to issue political demands or threats to our sovereign nation.' China's embassy said in a statement: "China will never interfere in Solomon Islands' internal affairs, and also firmly oppose any other countries' interference in Solomon Islands' internal affairs." "[The] Chinese embassy firmly opposes such baseless allegation, and reiterates its support to the political stability of Solomon Islands." It comes a month after China was accused of forcing two African nations Malawi and The Gambia to quit IPAC through 'extreme diplomatic coercion'.
ABC News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
China accused of foreign interference in Solomon Islands after minister quits international group
China's Embassy in Solomon Islands has become embroiled in a foreign interference controversy after allegedly forcing a newly appointed minister in the Pacific island nation to quit an international group pushing back against Beijing's growing global influence. Rural Development Minister Daniel Waneoroa announced yesterday he had left the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) — which draws in politicians from more than three dozen countries — saying he made the decision "in the interest of fostering stability and aligning with a collective national vision" under Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele. That drew a furious response from IPAC, which accused China of "bullying behaviour", saying Beijing had issued a "direct and shocking challenge" to the sovereignty of Solomon Islands. Mr Waneoroa was only appointed Rural Development Minister 10 days ago. Mr Manele offered him the position to coax him away from a broad coalition of MPs — including both government defectors and opposition MPs — which had coalesced to challenge the prime minister's hold on power. In the end Mr Manele warded off the challenge by cobbling together a new majority in parliament, forcing his political opponents to abandon a motion of no confidence they were planning to issue in parliament last week. But the flurry of horse trading also created a diplomatic headache for Mr Manele, because of Mr Waneoroa's position as one of two Solomon Islands "co-chairs" for IPAC. The ABC has been told China was angered by Mr Waneoroa's position with IPAC, which maintains strong links with Taiwan and which has tried to build international pressure on Beijing over human rights abuses, including in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. The group has previously accused China of resorting to threats and blackmail to stop MPs from several developing countries joining an international IPAC conference hosted in Taiwan in June last year. Over the weekend a prominent civil society group in Solomon Islands said the Chinese embassy had demanded to meet Mr Waneoroa, and suggested embassy officials had threatened to withdraw development funding from development programs because of his links to IPAC. In a stinging statement, Transparency Solomon Islands said on Saturday that China's actions risked destabilising Mr Manele's government, and demanded the embassy stop "interfering" in local politics. "No embassy has the right to issue political demands or threats to our sovereign nation." The other IPAC co-chair in Solomon Islands, prominent MP Peter Kenilorea Jr, also told the ABC that he was "aware that Hon. Waneoroa had been pressured by the Chinese embassy here in Solomon Islands to quit IPAC for some time now". And on Sunday afternoon Mr Waneoroa revealed he had resigned from the group on Thursday last week. He said while he "acknowledged the value" of his IPAC experience, "the current political landscape demands leadership that is responsive and united." In the wake of his announcement, IPAC accused China of using its investments in Solomon Islands as "leverage" against Mr Waneoroa and the government. "For a country that boasts of not having imperial ambitions, China's actions in the Solomons have the hallmarks of neo-colonialism," said IPAC executive director Luke de Pulford. "What China fails to realise is that this bullying behaviour is fomenting deep resentment in the Solomons and everywhere else they do it. It will backfire eventually. "In the meantime, the world is watching to see if the Solomon Islands government responds to this direct and shocking challenge to their sovereignty." China's embassy in Solomon Islands did not say whether it had made any demands of the minister, but in a statement said the foreign interference allegations were "baseless". "[The] Chinese embassy firmly opposes such baseless allegation, and reiterates its support to the political stability of Solomon Islands." Like his predecessor Manasseh Sogavare, Mr Manele has been intent on building closer ties with China in the wake of Solomon Islands' decision to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019. Since then China has made significant investments in Solomon Islands infrastructure — including a massive new stadium for the Pacific Games and a large new medical centre opened this year — as well as signing contentious security and policing pacts with the Pacific nation. Meanwhile, Solomon Islands has been a vocal supporter of China's claims over Taiwan, with Mr Manele signing a joint statement last year that said it "firmly supports all efforts by Chinese government to realise national reunification". Solomon Islands officials have also pushed to stop Taiwanese officials from attending this year's Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Honiara, risking fresh division with Taipei's remaining allies in the region. Last year Mr Kenilorea Jr told IPAC's conference in Taiwan that he would personally like to see Solomon Islands re-establish ties with Taipei, drawing condemnation from Mr Manele's government.
South China Morning Post
13-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
British MP denied entry to Hong Kong on trip to see newborn grandson
A British member of parliament has been denied entry to Hong Kong, in what she has called the first incident of its kind since 1997. Advertisement Wera Hobhouse, the MP for Bath and a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), which has been critical of Beijing's handling of human rights issues, said she was travelling to Hong Kong to visit her newborn grandson. She told British media that she was detained and questioned at Hong Kong International Airport before being sent back to the UK without an explanation. 'I am the first MP to be refused entry on arrival to Hong Kong since 1997. Authorities gave me no explanation for this cruel and upsetting blow,' she said on social media on Saturday night. The year marked Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty after British rule. Advertisement 'I hope the foreign secretary will recognise this is an insult to all parliamentarians and seek answers from the Chinese ambassador,' Hobhouse said.
