International Lawmakers Unite at IPAC Summit Unveiling Coordinated Action to Safeguard Human Rights And Regional Security
Cross-party Lawmakers from 28 countries meeting in Brussels for the fifth annual Summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) announced a coordinated international effort to safeguard fundamental human rights and uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait in the face of the People’s Republic of China’s escalating authoritarianism.
IPAC members expressed their gratitude to guest speakers for their exceptional contributions.
Their personal courage and tireless dedication to expose, document and create solutions to counter the Chinese Communist Party’s global assault on freedom and human rights: Sebastien Lai, Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, Matthew Robertson, Wayne Jordash KC, Kit Conklin, Grace Jin Drexel, Rigzin Genkhang, and Professor Akira Igata.
Declaration on the Status Quo
During the Summit, IPAC members adopted a shared declaration reaffirming opposition to any unilateral change to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. While recognising that definitions of the status quo vary, IPAC members affirmed broad consensus that coercive or forceful attempts to alter Taiwan’s de facto autonomy, and on the following actions which would violate the status quo, including:
- Preventing Taiwan exercising independent governance, controlling its borders (including territorial waters), maintaining a functioning economy, or securing its society from malign political interference.
- Denying Taiwan from entering into substantive relations with others states, and for other states to do so freely as they choose.
- Compelling or forcing on Taiwan a political settlement that has not been agreed by its citizens or political representatives.
Lawmakers stressed that peace and stability in the region are vital to global security, and pledged to advance parliamentary initiatives encouraging their governments to uphold these principles.
Statement on China’s Leveraging of Critical Raw Material Dependencies
Lawmakers expressed deep concern at Beijing’s repeated and coercive leveraging of global dependencies on Critical Raw Materials, and committed to call upon their respective governments to act urgently and decisively in conjunction with allies and trusted partners to de-risk supply chains for critical industrial inputs and manufactured products.
IPAC Model Resolution on Tibet
In support of fundamental rights and freedoms, lawmakers also committed to introducing a Model Resolution on Tibet in their respective legislatures. The resolution recognises the Tibetan people’s right to preserve their distinct cultural, religious, linguistic and national identity, and responds to ongoing efforts by Beijing to erode Tibetan autonomy and heritage.
Statement on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea
Endorsing the passionate appeals by Filipino lawmakers, assembled IPAC members adopted a statement urging Beijing to “reverse course” and abide by international law in the South China Sea.
Statement of Legislative Intent on Organ Harvesting and Trafficking
Additionally, lawmakers pledge to advance national legislation to prohibit and prevent forced organ harvesting and organ trafficking. Members emphasised that no country should allow its medical, transplant, pharmaceutical, or academic institutions to be complicit in these grave abuses.
Read the Final Communiqué and adopted Resolutions here.
The Summit also marked the continued growth of IPAC’s global presence, with lawmakers from seven new countries joining the alliance: Panama, Estonia, Fiji, Latvia, Serbia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Priyanka Chaturvedi MP, India Co-Chair, said:
“We will return to our Parliaments with renewed determination, to turn today’s commitments into tangible policy, to hold our Governments accountable, and to ensure that democratic values do not falter in the face of authoritarian might.”
IPAC was also honoured to launch the Senator Kimberley Kitching Prize for Courage in Defence of Democracy, created to recognise exceptional integrity and bravery in resisting authoritarian pressure.
The inaugural recipient is Hon. Peter Kenilorea Jr MP of the Solomon Islands, awarded for his principled leadership is defending democratic governance and national sovereignty amid significant attempts at external interference, coercion and intimidation from the People’s Republic of China.
The Prize commemorates the late Senator Kimberley Kitching (16 February 1970 - 10 March 2022), a founding Co-Chair of IPAC Australia, whose legacy of integrity and fearless advocacy continues to inspire democratic leaders worldwide.
Senator Deborah O’Neill, IPAC Australia Co-Chair, said:
“As a founding Co-Chair of IPAC Australia, Kimberley stood shoulder to shoulder with colleagues across party lines and across borders. She recognised that defending democracy against authoritarian encroachment particularly from the Chinese Communist Party required unity, vigilance, and above all, courage.
It is therefore fitting that the first recipient of this Award is The Honourable Peter Kenilorea Jr., Member of Parliament for East ‘Are’Are in Solomon Islands. Peter has demonstrated remarkable integrity and bravery in defending the sovereignty and democratic freedoms of his nation at a time of immense pressure. In an era when Beijing’s influence seeks to reshape governance and erode transparency in the Pacific, Peter has refused to be silent.”
Hon. Peter Kenilorea Jr MP said:
“I am truly honoured and humbled to be recognized in this way for defending democratic values and freedoms. I see this as a recognition of all of us in Solomon Islands who continue to stand firm for our convictions and beliefs despite the authoritarian pressures of the CCP on us individually and collectively as a nation. I thank the family and Trust of Senator Kimberly Kitching for this recognition that has strengthened my conviction to continue to uphold democratic values in the face of CCP pressure and opposition.”
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