Canada Expels Chinese Diplomat

Zhao has been declared persona non grata by Canada

The Canadian government finally pulled the trigger and declared Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei persona non grata. He must leave in five days for targeting opposition MP Michael Chong and his family in Hong Kong for intimidation. 

In retaliation, the Chinese government has expelled Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde in Shanghai. She has until May 13 to leave China.

Chong says expulsion should be done earlier

This comes a week after the Globe and Mail published a report from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service revealing Zhao had taken efforts to target Chong and his relatives after he sponsored a motion to condemn China's treatment of Uyghurs.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said: "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 behaviour, they will be sent home."

Chong called the move a victory, but not just for himself.

"It's a victory for all Canadians who have been a victim of foreign interference for the past five or 10 years, who've been subject to threats from authoritarian regimes like Iran, like the government in Beijing."

Joly will not tolerate foreign interference

But he said it has taken too long for the government to finally take action.

Former ambassadors to China like Guy Saint-Jacques, David Mulroney and Gordon Houlden have been sounding the alarm for at least a year that Canada needs to be more pro-active in dealing with Beijing's aggressive moves.

In a TV interview today, Saint-Jacques wasn't surprised if China would retaliate and expel a Canadian diplomat (which was subsequently done), but that economically Canada may not be hit too hard, as China's economy is not doing well and is trying very hard to court foreign countries to come back and do business.

Nevertheless this latest development further sinks Sino-Canadian relations further; a motion was passed to set up a foreign agent registry despite calls by Senator Yuen Pau Woo that it is racist. On the contrary, this registry applies to all countries, not just China. 

An alleged Chinese police station in Richmond

There may also be more momentum to demand China shut down its police stations in Canada, which would be a relief to a lot of people, not just those in the Chinese diaspora.