- Ottawa announced the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat who was accused of trying to threaten a Canadian lawmaker who was critical of Beijing.
- After allegations of political interference caused controversy in Canada, the country has decided to expel a Chinese diplomat.
- Beijing, on the other hand, has vehemently denied any election interference, describing the claims as “purely baseless and defamatory.”
- This set off a new diplomatic spat between the two countries.
- In a statement Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated, “We will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs.”
- China claimed that it had submitted an official protest regarding violations of international law and diplomatic norms.
Ottawa announced the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat who was accused of trying to threaten a Canadian lawmaker who was critical of Beijing. This set off a new diplomatic spat between the two countries. After allegations of political interference caused controversy in Canada, the country decided to expel a Chinese diplomat named Zhao Wei. Beijing, on the other hand, has vehemently denied any election interference, describing the claims as “purely baseless and defamatory.”
In a statement labelling the diplomat “persona non grata,” Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated, “We will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs,” as quoted by a news agency. She stated, “We remain firm in our resolve that defending our democracy is of the utmost importance,” adding that Canadian foreign diplomats “have been warned that if they engage in this type of behaviour, they will be sent home.”
The move bothered currently stressed Sino-Canadian relations, with China “firmly denouncing” the choice it said depended on “unfounded” allegations and promising repercussions. China accused Canada of “deliberately undermining relations” with its second-largest trading partner in a statement that was published on the website of its Ottawa embassy. China claimed that it had submitted an official protest regarding violations of international law and diplomatic norms.
A reliable source said that Zhao Wei, the official at the Chinese consulate in Toronto who is at the centre of this whole thing, has been told to leave Canada in five days.
His removal followed an outcry driven by parliamentarian Michael Chong over charges uncovered by nearby media that China’s knowledge office had wanted to target Chong and his family members in Hong Kong with sanctions for casting a ballot in February 2021 for a movement censuring Beijing’s behaviour in the Xinjiang locale as slaughter.
According to a Canadian Security Intelligence Service document that used the acronym “PRC” in its title, this was “almost certainly meant to make an example of this MP and deter others from taking anti-PRC positions.”
(With inputs from agencies)
