Canada is expelling a Chinese diplomat after Zhao Wei was accused of being involved in a campaign to intimidate a Canadian opposition lawmaker critical of Beijing.
In a rack Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Monday that the Canadian government has designated Zhao, a Toronto-based diplomat, as “persona non grata”.
“I have been clear: we will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs. Diplomats in Canada have been warned that if they engage in this kind of behavior they will be sent home,” Joly said.
The Chinese government has rejected allegations of interference in Canada’s internal affairs, saying last week that it “has no interest whatsoever”.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is under pressure to take action after the Globe and Mail newspaper reported earlier this month that China sought information about family members of a Canadian lawmaker “who may be within its borders.”
The move was likely part of an effort to “set an example for this MP and deter others” from taking anti-Chinese positions, the newspaper said, citing Canada’s espionage agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. (CSIS).
While the CSIS report did not name the legislator, The Globe said a national security source identified the targeted politician as Michael Chong, a member of Canada’s Conservative Opposition Party.
China sanctioned Chong in 2021 after he spearheaded a Canadian parliamentary motion condemning Beijing’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority as a “genocide” – a charge dismissed by the Chinese government for years.
“It shouldn’t have taken this long,” Chong said at a press conference Monday afternoon, responding to Canada’s announcement that it was blacklisting Zhao, the Chinese diplomat.
“We have known for years that the PRC [People’s Republic of China] uses its accredited diplomats here in Canada to target Canadians and their families,” Chong said.
“I hope this makes it clear not only to the PRC, but also to other authoritarian states represented here in Canada that crossing the diplomatic border with threats of foreign interference here on Canadian soil is completely unacceptable.”
The allegations this month have led to renewed tensions between Ottawa and Beijing. The two countries have had a frosty relationship for years over a range of issues, including human rights, trade and the arrests of Canadian and Chinese citizens.
Canada on Friday summoned China’s ambassador to the country over the harassment allegations against Chong, stressing that it was considering all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty.
Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, hit back by accusing the Canadian government of “baseless defamation” against China’s diplomatic and consular mission in Canada.
Canada has decided to declare persona non grata, Mr. Zhao Wei. pic.twitter.com/rZXeNTtdV4
— Melanie Joly (@melaniejoly) May 8, 2023
“A handful of Canadian politicians and media outlets have blown up a fabricated narrative about ‘China targeting a Canadian lawmaker,’ which is nothing but a political stunt born of ideological bias,” Mao said at a news conference last week.
“I want to emphasize that Chinese diplomatic and consular staff in Canada always adhere to relevant international conventions and perform their duties in accordance with the law. The Chinese side will take the necessary measures to firmly protect its own interests.”
Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, said on Monday that the decision to blacklist Zhao came “after careful consideration of all factors involved”. “We remain determined that defending our democracy is of paramount importance,” she said.
But Heather McPherson, a member of the left-leaning New Democratic Party, said on Monday it was “appalling” and “unacceptable” that the administration took so long to declare Zhao “persona non grata.”
“We don’t know if there are other examples” of harassment, McPherson told reporters. “There are members of the Chinese-Canadian community who warn against interference, [who] have been warning against harassment for decades.”
Ottawa also continues to face calls to investigate other alleged cases of Chinese interference, including attempts to interfere in Canadian elections and the use of secret “police stations” in Canada. Beijing has also rejected those allegations.