Over 10,000 overseas Chinese have participated in a rally in Canada's capital of Ottawa. The rally's theme was "Recognizing the facts of Tibet and supporting the Beijing Olympics".
Overseas Chinese rally in Ottawa
The rally started on Sunday afternoon and it was the first such event by overseas Chinese living in Canada.It attracted many Chinese compatriots and students from Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec and other cities.
45 Chinese communities have written to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, stating their opposition to Tibet independence, the distorted media coverage of the Tibet riots...and the behavior of some Western countries who are using the riots as a reason to boycott the Beijing Olympics. The Chinese communities called on the Canadian government to study the facts, and listen to the 1.2 million Chinese living in Canada.
Sun Shanqin, president of Victoria School in Toronto, said "The Olympic Games has nothing to do with politics. It's a sports gathering for the whole world.And the spirit of the Olympics is peace and perseverance. We hope the Canadian government will adhere to this spirit. We also wish the Beijing Olympics great success."
Overseas Chinese rally in Ottawa
Artists and athletes of Chinese origin from Toronto sang at the rally to express their hopes regarding the Beijing Olympics and the prosperity and reunification of the motherland.
Meanwhile, thousands of Chinese students took to the streets in Sydney on Sunday to express their opposition to Tibet independence and show their support for the Beijing Olympics torch relay.
That event was initiated by the Chinese community in Sydney. They urged the public, especially people in the West to respect China's territorial integrity, and not undermine the peaceful nature of the Olympics.
