Beijing will expel a Canadian diplomat from Shanghai in a retaliatory move after Canada expelled a Chinese official over allegations he tried to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker who was critical of China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority.
China’s ministry of foreign affairs made the announcement on Tuesday after it had vociferously objected to Ottawa’s expulsion of Zhao Wei, who Canadian intelligence accused of targeting lawmaker Michael Chong and his family.
Chong, a Conservative MP, has been critical of Beijing’s human rights abuses. Zhao had been declared “persona non grata” by Canada, the foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, said.
“China strongly condemns and resolutely opposes this decision, and has made solemn representations and protests to the Canadian side,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.
“In response to the unreasonable actions of the Canadian side, China has decided to take reciprocal countermeasures by classifying consul Jennifer Lynn Lalonde of the Canadian consulate general in Shanghai as an “persona non grata” and has asked her to leave China by 13 May. China reserves the right to make further reactions.”
China had previously warned of retaliation if Canada removed one of its diplomats, underscoring the tense relations between the two nations.
Joly acknowledged the likelihood of punitive measures from Beijing when she addressed a parliamentary committee on Thursday, drawing parallels to the way in which two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were detained as punishment for Canada arresting Meng Wanzhou.
However, on Monday Joly said the decision to expel Zhao was made “after careful consideration of all factors at play”.
Diplomatic expulsions are rare in Canada, highlighting the seriousness with which Ottawa is viewing the situation. The last expulsion was in 2018, when Canada joined more than 20 allies in response to the nerve agent attack in the UK, expelling four Russian diplomats.
Details of the intelligence report came to light on 1 May, when Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper reported that China sought information about Chong and his family in China in a likely effort to “make an example” of him and deter others from taking positions against the Chinese government.
The Globe, citing an unnamed national security source, alleged Zhao was involved in gathering information about Chong, who in 2021 sponsored a successful motion declaring China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority to be genocide.
Chong said he was “profoundly disappointed” to find out about the potential threat to his family in Hong Kong from a newspaper, and criticized Justin Trudeau’s government for inaction. He has repeatedly called for Zhao’s expulsion since the Globe report.
Trudeau said he found out about the intelligence report from the newspaper, and on Wednesday blamed the spy agency for not passing it on to him at the time.
China says it has never interfered in Canada’s internal affairs and has no interest in doing so. China’s Toronto consulate-general said the report on Chong has “no factual basis and is purely baseless”.
Additional research by Chi Hui Lin
