Canada considers expelling China diplomat for targeting lawmaker

The Canadian Government is assessing whether it should expel a Chinese diplomat who is alleged to be behind targeting an opposition MP through intimidating his family in Hong Kong.

The Canadian Government is assessing whether it should expel a Chinese diplomat who is alleged to be behind targeting an opposition MP through intimidating his family in Hong Kong.

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The outlet Globe and Mail, in a recent report based on documents from Canada’s spy agency Canadian Security Intelligence Service or CSIS, stated that China’s intelligence service, the Ministry of State Security or MSS, wanted to “target Canadian MPs” who were behind a February 2021 motion in the House of Commons terming the treatment of Uighurs as tantamount to “genocide.” That motion, which passed, was moved by opposition MP Michael Chong, who is believed to be singled out by Beijing. A CSIS reported claimed Beijing wanted to “make an example” an example of Chong by imposing “potential sanctions” on his relatives in China. The Chinese diplomat tasked by state intelligence is alleged to be Zhao Wei.

Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, summoned China’s Ambassador to the country, Cong Peiwu on Thursday.

Foreign affairs minister Mélanie Joly described the tactics used by China against Chong as “unacceptable” and said in the House of Commons that the Government was “assessing the consequences that we’ll be facing in case of diplomatic expulsion, because there will be consequences.”

Chong was infuriated by that response, as he said, “This individual, Mr Zhao Wei, should be on the first plane out or declared persona non grata.”

China has already warned against such measures. A release from its Embassy in Ottawa said its Ambassador had convoyed to Global Affairs Canada that it “protested strongly on the Canadian side’s threat to expel the relevant Chinese diplomatic and consular personnel based on rumors of the so-called ’China Interference’ hyped up by some Canadian politicians and media.”

“Once again, China strongly urges the Canadian side to immediately stop this self-directed political farce, not go further down the wrong and dangerous path. Should the Canadian side continue to make provocations, China will play along every step of the way until the very end,” the statement stressed.