(Ottawa) China has announced that a Canadian diplomat is now ” persona non grata in retaliation for Canada’s deportation of a Chinese consular official on Monday.
On Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry released a statement on its English language website saying that Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, consul of the Canadian Consulate General in Shanghai, has been asked to leave by May 13, and that China reserves the right to leave. right to take other retaliatory measures.
The Chinese authorities write that the dismissal of Mme Lalonde is a “reciprocal countermeasure to Canada’s unscrupulous decision”, which it “strongly condemns and strongly opposes”.
The Canadian Intelligence and Security Service (CSIS) alleges that Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei was involved in a plot to intimidate a member of the House of Commons, Michael Chong of the Conservative Party (CCP), and his relatives who live in Hong Kong.
On Monday, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly released a statement that Canada had declared Toronto-based diplomat Zhao Wei as ” persona non grata “. Calls for his expulsion began last week after the Globe and Mail argued that CSIS had information in 2021 that the Chinese government was looking for ways to intimidate Mr. Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong. The federal government has confirmed this information.
Following Minister Joly’s announcement, the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa issued a statement accusing Canada of violating international law and acting out of anti-China sentiment. The embassy added that the move sabotaged relations between China and Canada and promised retaliatory measures.
On Monday, the Conservative Party managed to pass a motion demanding the expulsion of Zhao Wei, with the support of the Bloc and New Democrats. However, all the opposition parties consider that the expulsion of Zhao Wei comes too late.
“It shouldn’t have taken this long,” Chong said in a scrum. He argued that it has long been known and known that members of the Chinese-Canadian community are intimidated by China and that Ottawa should not wait for an elected official like him to be targeted.
“I hope that this decision […] sends a clear message to the regime [chinois] that it is unacceptable to threaten citizens in Canada and I hope it is a victory for all Canadians in ethnocultural communities,” he continued.
Bloc Québécois MP René Villemure also believes that the Trudeau government was slow to act. “Tolerating the presence of the Chinese diplomat further was a disgrace to democracy, to the protection of deputies,” he commented.
NDP House Leader Peter Julian agreed, adding that he hopes the Liberals will take further action to stem attempts at foreign interference. He stressed that his party, like the Conservatives and the Bloc, is calling for a public and independent inquiry.
Moreover, the Conservative motion adopted Monday also aims to demand the immediate launch of such an investigation into foreign interference in the elections.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed a special rapporteur, David Johnston, to determine whether or not such an investigation should be launched. He has until May 23 to decide.