China on Friday condemned the “slander” and “slander” that it claims is the victim after Canada summoned its ambassador over allegations of intimidation against a Canadian diplomat hostile to Beijing.
Bilateral relations have been strained since Canadian authorities arrested an official of Chinese telecommunications group Huawei in 2018 and China retaliated by jailing two Canadians.
Although the three were freed, tensions remained, with Beijing accusing Ottawa of aligning with Washington’s China policy and Canadian officials regularly accusing China of meddling.
In this case, the Canadian newspaper “Globe and Mail” published a report on Monday precisely that Ottawa is turning a blind eye to the alleged Chinese “interference” in Canada’s internal affairs.
Conservative Canadian MP Michael Chong and his family have reportedly come under pressure from China because the MP has criticized Beijing – particularly on the Uyghur issue.
Under pressure, the Canadian Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador on Thursday to discuss the intimidation allegations and could respond by expelling diplomats.
“Canada baselessly slanders and slanders the normal operation of Chinese embassies and consulates in Canada,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning told reporters on Friday.
“China is deeply dissatisfied with it and firmly opposes it”, he underlined, assuring that the Chinese ambassador had conveyed his “strong objections” to “an official of the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.
attacks
Members of the opposition party against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have demanded this week that the government take responsibility for the scandal that has caused a stir in Canada.
Citing classified documents and an anonymous source, the “Globe and Mail” says Chinese intelligence plans to target MP Michael Chong for voting in February 2021 in favor of a motion to equalize the treatment of China’s Uyghur minority. “For Genocide”.
A Chinese embassy official in Toronto is believed to be involved in the case.
“I would like to emphasize that Chinese diplomatic and consular personnel in Canada have always respected international conventions and performed their duties in accordance with the law,” Chinese spokesperson Mao Ning said Friday.
“China will take necessary measures to protect its interests,” he assured.
Uyghurs, predominantly Muslim, are the main ethnic group in Xinjiang (northwest China), which has long suffered from bloody attacks by authorities on Islamists and Uyghur separatists.
In the name of counter-terrorism, Chinese authorities launched a sweeping crackdown in the mid-2010s. America talks about “genocide”. The UN raises the possibility of crimes against humanity.
Don’t go
In the company of two other American figures, Michael Chong was sanctioned by Beijing in March 2021, the first sanctions against China from Canada and the United States in the matter.
China’s foreign ministry said at the time that those targeted were banned from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.
Western studies accuse China of holding more than a million Uyghurs and members of other Muslim ethnic groups in “re-education camps,” subjecting them to “forced labor” and “forced sterilization.”
China denounces biased reports, manipulated statistics and talks of “vocational training centers” to promote employment and de-radicalize the population.
Justin Trudeau is under increasing pressure to speak out against Beijing following allegations that China tried to influence the outcome of the 2019 and 2021 Canadian elections.
Beijing has vehemently denied the allegations.
Canadian federal police also say they have dismantled several illegal “Chinese police stations” in Canada that were allegedly set up to harass Chinese expatriates hostile to Beijing.
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