Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Page S1710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
______
SENATE RESOLUTION 96--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
Mr. RISCH (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Coons, Mr.
Romney, and Mr. Cruz) submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 96
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; two counts of
bank 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; and
Whereas the Department of State's Country Report on Human
Rights Practices for 2017 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'': Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(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.
____________________