China is as carefree a travel destination as Belgium, according to risk ratings by the Department of Foreign Affairs. A member of the Senate foreign affairs committee yesterday questioned the claim given hostage takings and arbitrary detention of more than 120 Canadians in China.

“There are four risk levels,” said Senator Michael MacDonald (N.S.), pointing to categories of travel advisories issued by the department. “China is included with Belgium and the United Kingdom.”

“Why would China have a Level Two categorization the same as the United Kingdom and Belgium?” asked Senator MacDonald, adding he was “very surprised” given the 2018 police kidnappings of two Canadian business consultants in Beijing, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. The pair spent nearly three years in detention.

“That advice is composed of many different factors,” replied David Morrison, deputy foreign minister. “Some of it would be political risk.” Other factors were “just plain criminality,” added Morrison.

“I certainly accept at times there will be counterintuitive results,” testified Morrison. “I suspect as I say that could be because of petty theft, criminality, those kinds of risks to Canadians rather than the kind of Two Michaels risks.”