Sunderland Conservatives and Liberal Democrat councillors are working together to demand a review of Sunderland City Councils relationship with the Chinese Government and Chinese Communist Party.
The move comes in response to reports of human rights abuses against the Uyghur people in China by the Chinese government, including torture, rape and forced sterilisation, as well as repeated attacks on democracy campaigners in Hong Kong, abductions and the suppression of free speech in the former British territory.
Sunderland currently has a friendship agreement with the city of Harbin in China, a link that was established in 2009 and sees City leaders work closely with leaders in the Chinese City. Harbin is led by members of the Chinese Communist Party who have been in power in China since 1949, being the only political party allowed in the dictatorship.
The motion, which has been submitted for debate at the next meeting of full Council, aims to ask serious questions about the cities relationship with China and the Chinese Communist Party, as well as highlighting the current situation.
Speaking about the motion Conservative Councillor Dominic McDonough said "As a Council we have a responsibility to speak out against what can only be described as genocide, intimidation and suppression of free speech by the Chinese Government and the Chinese Communist Party, the same Communist Party which leads the City of Harbin. Sunderland is a tolerant city and residents must be assured that our relationship with China is appropriate. We cannot be seen to be supporting a regime which disregards human rights in this way and attacks its own citizens."
The full text of the motion is below.
Sunderland City Councils relationship with Chinese Counterparts and the Chinese
Communist Party
Council Notes:
‐ In May 2009, Sunderland City Council signed a sister cities Friendship Agreement with
Harbin, China, a city led by members of the Chinese Communist Party which has been
responsible for serious human rights abuses in the country which continue to this day.
Council Further Notes:
‐ It is widely reported and well documented that at least a million Uyghurs have been
forcibly detained in so called “re‐education” camps in China
‐ Survivors who have escaped have talked about their experience which include
internment, rape, torture, forced sterilisation
‐ There have been reports of organ harvesting against Uyghurs by the Chinese
government, with evidence presented to the UN Human Rights Council
‐ A number of Uyghurs have submitted evidence to the International Criminal Court calling
for an investigation for Crimes of Genocide & Crimes Against Humanity
‐The Chinese Government and Communist Party of China have also been responsible for
the intimidation, torture and abduction of democracy campaigners in Hong Kong, shutting
down the free press and smothering free speech in the territory, breaching the Sino‐British
Joint Declaration of 1984
Council Resolves:
‐ To express condemnation of the Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims and of
democracy campaigners in Hong Kong.
‐ To write to the MPs that represent our local authority urging them to lobby the Government
for action in relation to the treatment of Uyghur Muslims and the Hong Kong people at the
hands of the Chinese Government
‐ To request that Chief Executive initiate a review of Sunderland’s existing agreements with
Harbin, in light of the widely‐reported actions of the Chinese government and Chinese
Communist Party, to ensure they comply with the Council’s duties under the Human Rights
Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010. This review should incorporate consultation with the
public, and should report back to full Council.
