The Canadian consul to Shanghai, Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, has been expelled by the Chinese government, in retaliation for a similar move by the Canadian government.
On Monday Ottawa said Zhao Wei was ‘persona non grata,’ and was ordered to leave Canada. Zhao has five days to leave the country. Beijing then expelled LaLonde in a tit-for-tat move.
The decision to expel Zhao came after an intelligence report alleged that he had intimidated Michael Chong, a Canadian MP. Chong has been outspoken over human rights abuses in China, and it was alleged that he was harassed by Chinese diplomats. Chong’s family in Hong Kong was also reportedly threatened.
Chong was quoted as saying: ‘My hope is that this sends a clear message to authoritarian states that these kinds of activities are completely incompatible with being a diplomat in this country.’
This incident is the latest between China and Canada, as relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate. The decision to expel Zhao comes shortly after the Chinese ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, was summoned by the Canadian foreign minister, Melanie Joly, to express concern over attempts by Beijing to meddle in domestic Canadian politics.