The head of a British Columbia-based group that says it is a 害羞草研究所渘on-political害羞草研究所� organization helping Chinese integrate into Canadian society travelled to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping at a government conference this week.

Chinese state media videos and photos show Canadian Community Service Association president Niu Hua attending the 害羞草研究所�10th Conference for Friendship of Overseas Chinese Associations,害羞草研究所� hosted by the state council害羞草研究所檚 overseas Chinese affairs office.

Niu is seen applauding with the group on Monday during Xi害羞草研究所檚 entry to the conference, which state media says involved representatives from 130 countries, and is also seen in a group picture with the Chinese leader.

Chinese state media says Shi Taifeng 害羞草研究所� head of the Chinese United Front Work Department害羞草研究所檚 central committee 害羞草研究所� told conference attendees that they serve as 害羞草研究所渁n important bridge and bond害羞草研究所� between China and the rest of the world.

Shi told the groups they are 害羞草研究所渇resh troops害羞草研究所� in China害羞草研究所檚 effort to develop a 害羞草研究所渟hared future for mankind害羞草研究所� as part of the 害羞草研究所済reat rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.害羞草研究所�

Niu has not responded to requests for comment, but his Chinese-language WeChat social media account shared state-media depictions of the meeting and photographs of him outside the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square, where the meeting with Xi took place.

The Canadian Community Service Association says on its website that it was established in 2002 to promote integration and 害羞草研究所渢he spirit of community service害羞草研究所� among Chinese and other multicultural communities, organizing activities such as fundraising drives for natural disasters.

It says it is 害羞草研究所渘on-profit, non-religious, and non-political,害羞草研究所� and has nearly 20,000 members.

In March, the group hosted a banquet to welcome new Chinese consul general Yang Shu to Vancouver.

In January, it staged a spring festival gala attended by an array of Canadian federal, provincial and municipal politicians, several of whom spoke at the event and posed for photos with Niu.

One of the speakers at the January event, Senator Yuen Pau Woo, questioned whether there was a racial component to any concerns about Niu害羞草研究所檚 presence at the meeting with Xi.

害羞草研究所淒id you hear that hundreds of Canadians met with President Biden on his recent visit to Canada, including numerous heads of non-political organizations?害羞草研究所� Woo said in a written response.

害羞草研究所淲ould you ask the same question if a Caucasian Canadian head of a non-political organization 害羞草研究所� say the president of a business group or a university 害羞草研究所� went to Beijing and met with President Xi?害羞草研究所�

On Monday, Canada declared Toronto-based Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei 害羞草研究所減ersona non grata害羞草研究所� after the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said he was involved in a plot to intimidate Conservative MP Michael Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong.

China responded by declaring Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, a consul in Shanghai, 害羞草研究所減ersona non grata害羞草研究所� and asked her to leave the country before May 13.

害羞草研究所擟huck Chiang, The Canadian Press

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