Canada announced on Monday (08.05.2023) the expulsion of a diplomat Chinese for interfering in domestic politics, after he was accused by Canadian media of trying to intimidate the family of an MP.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced Zhao Wei’s expulsion in a statement, saying she had declared the diplomat “persona non grata”.

“I have been very 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,” he said. he explains.

Last week, the Canadian newspaper “The Globe and Mail” published that the Canadian intelligence service (CSIS) had known since 2021 that the Chinese authorities were interested in obtaining information on the relatives of the Canadian legislator Michael Chong in order to impose ” possible sanctions”. on them. .

The same story says that a Chinese diplomat in Ottawa, identified as Zhao Wei, was involved in trying to locate relatives of the MP, who are believed to be living in Hong Kong.

Beijing threatens “firm countermeasures”

In response to the Chinese diplomat’s expulsion, Beijing accused the Canadian government of “sabotage” relations and promised “strong countermeasures”.

“The Chinese side will take strong countermeasures, and all resulting consequences will be borne by the Canadian side,” said a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Canada.

Alleged Chinese threats against Chong, a lawmaker from the opposition Conservative Party of Canada, have become a sensitive issue for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has been accused of failing to stand up to China.

For his part, Trudeau said CSIS never alerted the government to threats against Chong.

The expulsion of the Chinese diplomat comes two years after Canada and China ended the serious diplomatic crisis caused in 2018 by the arrest in Vancouver (Canada) of Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at the request of the United States , and detention in China. of two Canadian citizens, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

Meng, Kovrig and Spavor were released simultaneously in 2021 following a tripartite agreement between Canada, the United States and China.

gs (efe, afp)