China on Tuesday (9) decided to expel the Canadian consul in Shanghai in retaliation for the same measure Ottawa ordered against a Chinese diplomat accused of trying to intimidate a Canadian MP, sparking a new crisis between the triggered both countries.
Relations between the two nations have endured a rough patch since 2018 after the arrest of an executive at Chinese tech giant Huawei in Canada and the detention of two Canadians in China in retaliation.
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The three detainees have since been released, but tensions continued. China has criticized Canada’s alignment with US policy towards Beijing, while Canadian officials often accuse China of meddling.
The new crisis began last week after the Yhe Globe and Mail newspaper reported that Canadian Conservative MP Michael Chong and his family, who live in Hong Kong, were allegedly suffering from pressure from China.
The newspaper noted that Chong was being targeted by Chinese intelligence agencies because the MP backed a motion to declare Beijing’s actions in the Xinjiang region genocide against the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim minority.
The Foreign Ministry in Beijing on Tuesday classified Canadian Consul Jennifer Lynn Lalonde as “persona non grata” and stressed that “China reserves the right to respond with more harshness.”
A statement said Lalonde had been told to “leave China by May 13”.
“China strongly condemns Canada’s decision to expel a Chinese diplomat from Toronto, Beijing diplomacy said.
“Unjustified provocations”
Chinese diplomacy spokesman Wang Wenbin urged Canada to end “unjustified provocations” and warned that Beijing will take “firm and forceful action” if Ottawa does not heed the advice.
AFP reached out to the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassy in Beijing and the consulate in Shanghai for comment, but received no response at the time.
The Canadian government on Monday announced the expulsion of Torontobased Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei.
“We will not tolerate any foreign interference in our internal affairs,” said a statement released by Secretary of State Melanie Joly.
According to a source close to the issue, the Chinese diplomat will be expelled from Canada in the next five days.
China responded, accusing Canada of wanting to “sabotage” a bilateral relationship that had been strained for years despite Beijing being Ottawa’s secondbiggest trading partner.
Commenting on information about alleged intimidation against Chong, the Chinese government on Friday criticized what it called “unfounded slander and slander” by Canada after Ottawa subpoenaed the Chinese ambassador a day earlier to seek an explanation.
China’s foreign ministry said the scandal had been “exaggerated by some politicians and the Canadian press.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under pressure to take a hard line on China, which has been accused of multiple attempts to interfere in the country’s internal affairs, which Beijing denies.
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