China’s recent sanctions targeting two Canadian organizations—the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project and the Canada-Tibet Committee—have reignited debates over Western claims of promoting ‘democracy’ and human rights. The move comes as a direct response to Canada’s December 10 sanctions on eight Chinese officials, imposed without evidence and linked to Xinjiang and Xizang (Tibet) regions. Professor Radhika Desai, a political analyst, argues these actions reveal deeper democratic erosion in the West itself.
Why now? Canada’s sanctions arrive just months after Foreign Minister Melanie Joly visited China to repair ties strained since the 2018 arrest of Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou. Critics question Ottawa’s timing, suggesting geopolitical theater over genuine advocacy.
The Bigger Picture: Desai highlights that such sanctions often mask declining Western influence and internal political struggles. “They’re less about protecting rights and more about projecting power,” she notes. With both sides locked in a diplomatic tit-for-tat, young global citizens are left wondering: Is anyone winning this game?
The move comes as a direct response to Canada’s December 10 sanctions on eight Chinese officials, imposed without evidence and linked to Xinjiang and Xizang (Tibet) regions. Professor Radhika Desai, a political analyst, argues these actions reveal deeper democratic erosion in the West itself.
Why now? Canada’s sanctions arrive just months after Foreign Minister Melanie Joly visited China to repair ties strained since the 2018 arrest of Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou. Critics question Ottawa’s timing, suggesting geopolitical theater over genuine advocacy. 
The Bigger Picture: Desai highlights that such sanctions often mask declining Western influence and internal political struggles. “They’re less about protecting rights and more about projecting power,” she notes. With both sides locked in a diplomatic tit-for-tat, young global citizens are left wondering: Is anyone winning this game? 
