A report from Beijing’s overseas influence arm, published shortly after Canada’s 2021 federal election has highlighted the political influence wielded by pro-Khalistan leaders in Canada as a blueprint for its diaspora-driven mobilisation.
The analysis shared by the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC) via WeChat and published by Canada’s The Bureau underscores Beijing’s interest in boosting Chinese political influence in Canada.
According to The Bureau ACFROC report particularly focuses on pro-Khalistan leaders ability to influence Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, citing their push to amend a 2018 terrorism report linked to the 1985 Air India bombing.
The original terrorism report named “Sikh extremism” (related to Khalistan movement) as a key threat, a designation that pro-Khalistan leaders reportedly opposed, warning the Liberal Party of political and financial repercussions. This pressure from pro-Khalistani leaders led to rephrased terminology that excluded the terrorist label.
ACFROC praises the organisational strength of pro-Khalistani leaders in mobilising fundraising and votes across places of worship, contrasting this with challenges faced by Chinese communities in achieving similar political cohesion.
The study advises Chinese Canadian leaders to emulate this success by unifying efforts and crafting messages that resonate with broader Canadian values while subtly aligning with Beijing’s objectives.
The Bureau‘s recent revelation aligns with their prior reporting on China’s alleged interference in Canadian politics, including claims of PRC-linked proxies attempting to influence the Conservative Party’s 2022 leadership race.
This highlights parallels in the strategies employed by pro-Khalistan leaders, such as the recent exposure by Meta of coordinated inauthentic behaviour originating from China to amplify pro-Khalistan propaganda in Australia and beyond.
Meta’s “Adversarial Threat Report” report states they found that the Khalistani “network used compromised and fake accounts to pose as Sikhs, post content, and manage Pages and Groups.” The report adds:
“They appeared to have created a fictitious activist movement called Operation K, calling for pro-Sikh protests in countries such as New Zealand and Australia.”
Meta removed dozens of such accounts and pages that promoted pro-Khalistan movements through fabricated posts and AI-generated content. These networks, appearing as grassroots activism, were found to be linked to an earlier Chinese operation targeting India and the Tibetan region.
The All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC), established in 1956 under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is a civic organisation integral to the Party’s work. Guided by CCP directives, ACFROC’s core functions include promoting economic development, protecting overseas Chinese interests, fostering international friendships, engaging in political affairs, promoting Chinese culture, and contributing to social development.
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