China has “strongly” denounced allegations of interference in the last Canadian federal election mentioned in reports by the country’s intelligence services, calling them “defamatory”.
The Chinese Consulate General in Vancouver, western Canada, has expressed “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to the remarks reported by the newspaper The Globe and Mail which is based on confidential documents, according to a press release issued Friday.
The Chinese authorities point out in particular that Beijing has repeated “repeatedly” that it had “never interfered in the elections or the internal affairs of Canada in any way whatsoever” and that such media accusations could “harm” to relations between the two countries.
According to Canadian intelligence reports, obtained by the daily, the Chinese regime would have used some of its diplomats to carry out disinformation campaigns aimed at re-electing a minority Liberal government in 2021 – considered the party most favorable to Beijing – and sideline some Conservative candidates.
Asked about the subject on Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau maintained that the last elections won by his government were perfectly legitimate, while acknowledging that he had been “aware” for several years of Chinese attempts to interfere in the Canadian democratic process.
In Ottawa, a parliamentary committee is already looking into allegations that China interfered in the 2019 election campaign to back 11 mostly Liberal candidates.
Relations between China and Canada have deteriorated sharply in recent years, particularly after the arrest by Canada at the request of the United States of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in 2018.
Last week, four objects — including one described by Washington as a Chinese spy balloon — were shot down over the United States or Canada.