TEHRAN (Tasnim) – China has expelled a Canadian diplomat in Shanghai in response to Canada’s recent decision to expel a Chinese diplomat for alleged interference in Canadian internal affairs.
China has decided to declare a Shanghai-based Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde “persona non grata”, a spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.
Lalonde, who has been asked to leave China before Saturday, is a consul at the Consulate-General of Canada in Shanghai.
It is a reciprocal countermeasure in response to Canada’s unscrupulous move to declare a diplomat of the Consulate-General of China in Toronto “persona non grata”, the spokesperson said.
China strongly condemns and firmly opposes the move and has lodged serious démarches and strong protest to Canada, the spokesperson added.
China says it reserves the right to take further steps, the spokesperson added.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa, in response to Canada expelling a Chinese diplomat, said the consequences arising from the action shall be borne by the Canadian side.
“The Chinese side strongly condemns and firmly opposes this and has lodged stern protest with the Canadian side,” said a statement on the embassy website.
The Chinese embassy said the move was based on “rumors of the so-called ‘China Interference’ hyped up by some politicians and media” and it has “seriously violated international law”.
Experts interviewed by China Daily also said that the move will further strain already fragile economic and political ties between the two countries.
China has repeatedly denied allegations of political interference in Canada, which have heightened concerns about alleged Chinese interference within the country. Canada’s relationship with China has been strained in recent years, particularly following Beijing’s detention of two Canadians after Canada’s 2018 arrest of Chinese businesswoman Meng Wanzhou. Although Beijing has denied that their cases were political retaliation, both men were released on the same day Meng was allowed to return to China in 2021.
