[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 15, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8128-H8129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





     COMMENDING GOVERNMENT OF CANADA FOR UPHOLDING RULE OF LAW AND 
EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER ACTIONS BY GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC 
                                OF CHINA

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 521) commending the Government of Canada for 
upholding the rule of law and expressing concern over actions by the 
Government of the People's Republic of China in response to a request 
from the United States Government to the Government of Canada for the 
extradition of a Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., executive.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 521

       Whereas, on December 1, 2018, Canadian authorities detained 
     Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., chief financial officer Meng 
     Wanzhou based on an arrest warrant issued pursuant to a 
     request made by the United States under the Extradition 
     Treaty Between the United States of America and Canada, 
     signed at Washington December 3, 1971;
       Whereas, on January 24, 2019, the United States filed a 
     superseding indictment in the United States District Court 
     for the Eastern District of New York against Huawei 
     Technologies Co., Ltd. (``Huawei''), Huawei Device USA Inc., 
     Skycom Tech Co. Ltd. (``Skycom''), and Meng Wanzhou;
       Whereas the January 24, 2019, indictment charges two counts 
     of bank fraud, two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, 
     one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of 
     wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United 
     States, two counts of conspiracy to violate the International 
     Emergency Economic Powers Act, two counts of violations of 
     the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, one count of 
     money laundering conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to 
     obstruct justice;
       Whereas the January 24, 2019, indictment charges that 
     ``Huawei operated Skycom as an unofficial subsidiary to 
     obtain otherwise prohibited U.S.-origin goods, technology, 
     and services, including banking services, for Huawei's Iran-
     based business while concealing the link to Huawei'';
       Whereas the United States Government is seeking the 
     extradition of Meng Wanzhou;
       Whereas Canadian authorities granted Meng Wanzhou access to 
     Chinese consular officials, and she was able to engage a 
     lawyer of her choice and was released on bail pending the 
     outcome of the extradition hearing;
       Whereas the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly 
     urged Canada ``to immediately release'' Meng Wanzhou and 
     threatened that otherwise ``it will definitely have grave 
     consequences, and [Canada] will have to bear the full 
     responsibility for it'';
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     detained Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian 
     executive Michael Spavor on December 10, 2018, in apparent 
     retaliation for the arrest of Meng Wanzhou;
       Whereas Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig have faced harsh 
     conditions while in detention that include limited consular 
     access, no access to a lawyer, being unable to turn off the 
     lights at night, and lengthy interrogations, including in the 
     case of Mr. Kovrig, about his official activities during his 
     previous tenure as an accredited diplomat in the People's 
     Republic of China, potentially in violation of the Vienna 
     Convention on Diplomatic Relations, done at Vienna April 18, 
     1961;
       Whereas, on January 14, 2019, a third Canadian, Robert 
     Schellenberg, in Chinese custody for drug smuggling, had his 
     case reviewed and his 15-year sentence changed to the death 
     penalty;
       Whereas the Department of State's Country Report on Human 
     Rights Practices for 2018 stated that ``[a]rbitrary arrest 
     and detention remained serious problems'' in China and that 
     Chinese judges ``regularly received political guidance on 
     pending cases, including instructions on how to rule, from 
     both the government and the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], 
     particularly in politically sensitive cases''; and
       Whereas while neither Michael Kovrig nor Michael Spavor has 
     been formally charged with any crime under Chinese law, the 
     Government of the People's Republic of China formally 
     arrested them on May 6, 2019, following their detention on 
     December 10, 2018: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the Government of Canada for upholding the 
     rule of law and complying with its international legal 
     obligations, including those pursuant to the Extradition 
     Treaty Between the United States of America and Canada, 
     signed at Washington December 3, 1971;
       (2) commends the Government of Canada for providing 
     consular access and due process for Huawei Technologies Co., 
     Ltd., chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou;
       (3) expresses concern over the Government of the People's 
     Republic of China's apparent arbitrary detention and abusive 
     treatment of Canadian nationals Michael Spavor and Michael 
     Kovrig in apparent retaliation for the Government of Canada's 
     detention of Meng Wanzhou; and
       (4) joins the Government of Canada in calling for the 
     immediate release of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig and 
     for due process for Canadian national Robert Schellenberg.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 521.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good, bipartisan resolution, and I was glad to 
join Ranking Member McCaul as a cosponsor of this bill. This measure 
deals with something that we have all seen lately--how China responds 
to those who go against the Chinese Communist Party's agenda. Whether 
we are talking about individuals, private companies, or countries, 
China doesn't hesitate to extort, coerce, and punish those who 
challenge it.
  Right now, our neighbor to the north, Canada, is experiencing this 
firsthand. Back in December, Canada arrested and extradited the chief 
financial officer of Chinese company Huawei for her role in violating 
American sanctions law. The Canadians were completely in the right 
here. They were upholding the rule of law.
  China launched an outrageous response, arresting two innocent 
Canadian citizens on trumped-up charges. These men are still 
languishing in China's detention and legal process limbo, deprived of 
their freedom and denied basic consular rights--rights that all 
countries should honor--solely because China wanted to use them in a 
political bullying tactic. Their rights went out the window.
  This is an outrageous affront to the rule of law, and we must condemn 
it.
  H. Res. 521 denounces this practice by China and sends a clear signal 
that the United States Congress stands with Canada in demanding the 
immediate release of their innocent citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this good 
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution 
commending the Government of Canada for upholding the rule of law and 
expressing concern about China's use of hostage diplomacy.
  I thank Chairman Engel for cosponsoring this resolution with me. As 
always, we work in a very bipartisan way on this committee.
  This resolution recognizes Canada's help with the extradition of 
Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou. It also 
expresses concern with China's retaliatory and hostile actions against 
Canadian citizens detained in China.
  China's hostage diplomacy is abhorrent. As retaliation for Canada's 
arrest of Ms. Meng, Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor 
have been detained in China since last year. They have been denied due 
process and have been subjected to harsh conditions, such as limited 
consular access, no attorney representation, and lengthy 
interrogations. Meanwhile, Ms. Meng has received proper treatment in 
Canadian custody and is currently released on bail.
  The cases show the stark contrast between Canada's commitment to the 
rule of law and China's.
  I commend Canada and regret that Canadian citizens are paying the 
price of China's malfeasance. Canada's citizens must be released 
immediately.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank the people of Canada for standing 
with us to uphold the rule of law and assist in the extradition of 
Huawei's CFO, who is accused of willfully violating United States 
sanctions to proliferate technology to Iran. It is unacceptable that 
the Chinese Communist Party is punishing innocent Canadian citizens to 
interfere in this criminal process.

[[Page H8129]]

  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this and stand in 
solidarity with Canada. Huawei is creeping around the world with 5G 
technology. Everywhere we see One Belt, One Road, we see 5G being 
planted down in these countries. They literally steal data from these 
countries, now covering half of the globe.
  We are in a race with China, and we need to combat their espionage 
and intellectual property theft.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Ranking Member McCaul for his leadership 
in introducing this measure and his hard work in seeing its passage.
  China is flouting the international rule of law, targeting anyone who 
goes against them. And now, they have our ally Canada in their 
crosshairs.
  This is a commonsense resolution that shows the United States 
condemns this behavior and stands with our ally and with the families 
of those unjustly detained.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support it, and I urge my colleagues to do 
the same. I thank Mr. McCaul for introducing it, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 521.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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