The government of Canada has announced the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat accused of having sought to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker and his family over the MP’s criticisms of Beijing.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement that “Canada has decided to declare persona non grata Mr. Zhao Wei”.
She added that “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 type of behavior, they will be sent home”.
According to reports, the expulsion followed an outcry led by parliamentarian Michael Chong over a damning report by the Globe and Mail recently claiming Ottawa had turned a blind eye to Beijing’s interference in Canadian affairs.
According to the newspaper, China’s intelligence agency had planned to target Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong with sanctions for voting in February 2021 for a motion condemning Beijing’s conduct in the Xinjiang region as genocide.
This was “almost certainly meant to make an example of this MP and deter others from taking anti-PRC positions,” the report cited a Canadian Security Intelligence Service document as saying, using an acronym for the People’s Republic of China.
It was gathered that Zhao Wei, a diplomatic official at China’s consulate in Toronto, was reported to be involved in the issue.
Reports have it that after China’s ambassador was recently summoned over the allegations, Beijing slammed what it called “groundless slander and defamation” by Canada.
In a statement, the Chinese foreign ministry denied any wrongdoing, insisting the scandal had been “hyped up by some Canadian politicians and media.”
