Canada was considering expelling a Chinese diplomat on Monday “undesirable person” in the country after being accused by Ottawa of attempting to intimidate an anti-Beijing Canadian MP. He has to leave the country in five days at the latest.
“Canada has decided to declare Mr. Zhao Wei persona non grata,” said Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly. “We will not tolerate any foreign interference in our internal affairs. Diplomats in Canada have been warned that if they engage in this type of behavior they will be sent home.” She added.
The decision has been made “with careful consideration of all factors involved”, she assured.
Hong Kong MP’s family members intimidated
The Chinese diplomat’s deportation comes after the Globe and Mail published reports that Canada’s Security Intelligence Agency (CSIS) learned in 2021 that Zhao Wei was trying to intimidate Conservative MP Michael Chong and members of his family in Hong Kong.
Michael Chong had tabled a motion in the House of Commons that called Beijing’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims in China genocide. Canada was thus one of the first countries whose only institution recognized the genocide of the Uyghurs.
Nothing is going well between Beijing and Ottawa
A decision that is likely to further strain the already very complicated bilateral relations between the two countries: In this case, China regretted it “slanders” And “Defamation” of Canada upon the summons of its ambassador.
Relations between Beijing and Ottawa have been particularly strained since the 2018 arrest by Canadian authorities of an official at Chinese telecommunications group Huawei and the detention of two Canadian nationals in retaliation by China.
Although all three have since been released, tensions continued, with Beijing blaming Ottawa for its alignment with Washington’s China policy and Canadian authorities regularly accusing China of meddling.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under increasing pressure to speak out against Beijing after claims China tried to influence the results of the 2019 and 2021 Canadian elections.