Tit-for-tat expulsions as China, Canada ties hit new low

Beijing is expelling Canada's consul in Shanghai in a tit-for-tat move after Ottawa announced it was sending home a Chinese diplomat accused of trying to intimidate a legislator.

The expulsions have plunged the two nations into a fresh diplomatic row after years of souring relations.

The latest actions follow an outcry in Canada over allegations that Chinese intelligence planned to target MP Michael Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong with sanctions for sponsoring a motion condemning Beijing's conduct in the Xinjiang region as genocide.

In response, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Toronto-based Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei - who allegedly had a role in the targeting scheme - must leave the country. Canada, Joly said, will "not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs."

China's foreign ministry yesterday condemned the decision to expel Zhao and said Canadian consul Jennifer Lynn Lalonde has to leave the country by May 13 "as a reciprocal countermeasure in reaction to Canada's unscrupulous move."

And foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged Canada to stop "unreasonable provocations."

Wang also said at a briefing in Beijing: "If the Canadian side doesn't listen to this advice and acts recklessly [China] will take resolute and forceful retaliatory measures, and all consequences will be borne by the Canadian side."

A single police car was yesterday parked outside the Shanghai office building where the consulate is based.

Inside, appointments appeared to be running as normal, while staff at reception said they were unaware of the developments.

And neither Canada's foreign ministry nor its embassy in Beijing was commenting.

But Joly had said on Monday: "We remain firm in our resolve that defending our democracy is of the utmost importance."

She also said that foreign diplomats in Canada had been warned "if they engage in this type of behavior they will be sent home."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has faced growing pressure to take a hard line on China following revelations in recent months that it sought to sway Canada's 2019 and 2021 elections in his party's favor.

Relations between Beijing and Ottawa have been tense since 2018 after China detained former diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor soon after Canada arrested Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of telecoms giant Huawei and the daughter of the company's founder, at the behest of US authorities who accused her of fraud.

All three have since been released, but Beijing has continued to blast Ottawa for aligning with Washington's China policy while Canadian officials have regularly accused China of interference.

After China's ambassador was summoned last week over the latest interference allegations, Beijing on Friday slammed what it called "groundless slander and defamation" by Canada.

The Chinese foreign ministry insisted the scandal was "hyped up" by Canadian politicians and the media.

And Chong declared in Ottawa: "It shouldn't have taken the targeting of a member of parliament to make this [expulsion] decision.

"We've known for years that the PRC is using its accredited diplomats in Canada to target Canadians and their families."

He added that Canada has become "a playground for foreign interference," including the harassment of diaspora communities.