Tensions between the two countries are expected to further escalate as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would not back down after China ordered the Canadian consul to leave after Canada expelled a Chinese diplomat.
According to Canadian public broadcaster CBC on the 9th, Prime Minister Trudeau said, “We have to give a clear message that we cannot accept unjust interference from other countries. Whatever their next move, we will never be intimidated.”
Canada announced the day before that it would deport Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei as a person to avoid (persona non grata).
Zhao Wei, who served as a diplomat in the Toronto area, was suspected in 2021 of being involved in collecting information on Canadian Conservative MP Michael Cheung and his relatives living in China.
Rep. Cheong is a person who has consistently raised a critical voice on human rights issues in Xinjiang Uyghur, China, and Canadian intelligence authorities believe that the investigation was conducted after Congressman Chung criticized the human rights situation in China.
Canadian intelligence authorities wrote a secret document to the effect that Congressman Chung and his family could be threatened, and the case became public as Canadian media Globe and Mail reported it.
The Canadian government seems to have made this decision with the deterioration of relations with China in mind.
Citing a senior government official, the CBC reported that “Canadian Foreign Minister Kehlani Jolie consulted with her trade and security ministers about possible retaliation from China before making a decision.”
The Canadian government also reportedly did not give China the option to withdraw the diplomat on its own ahead of the deportation.
China immediately took retaliatory measures after its diplomat was expelled. He declared Consul Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, who works at the Canadian Consulate General in Shanghai, a person to be diplomatically avoided and advised her to leave the country by the 13th.
China’s foreign ministry said it issued an eviction order in response to “unreasonable behavior” by the Canadian government.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.