Beijing, May 09 (Hindustan Times). China has announced the expulsion of a Canadian diplomat in response to ordering a Chinese embassy official there to leave the country for allegedly threatening a Canadian lawmaker and his family.
China’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it strongly opposes Canada’s reckless move and China is taking similar actions in response. It said Canadian diplomat Lynn Lalonde, posted in Shanghai, has been asked to leave the country by May 13. It also said that China reserves the right to take further steps in response.
There was no immediate comment from the Canadian Embassy in Beijing on the order. Earlier on Tuesday, Canada said that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government was expelling a Chinese diplomat. Who has been accused by Canada’s spy agency of being involved in a conspiracy to threaten an opposition MP and his family members in Hong Kong.
China took over the former British colony in 1997, and in recent years has systematically broken an agreement to uphold unique political and civil rights for 50 years by dismantling its democratic institutions and a free press . China routinely threatens family members of people of Chinese descent, particularly in order to silence criticism from minority groups.
A senior government official in Canada said Zhao Wei, a diplomat posted in Toronto, has five days to leave the country. It is not clear whether Zhao is still in Canada.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolly said in a statement that Canada has designated Zhao persona non grata and that Canada will not tolerate any foreign interference in its internal affairs. He said diplomats in Canada have been warned that they will be sent home if they continue to behave like this.
