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KONTAN.CO.ID – Shanghai. Diplomatic relations between China and Canada are heating up. Both countries expelled each other’s diplomats.

China will expel Canadian diplomats in Shanghai in retaliation or retaliation. Earlier, Ottawa announced it would repatriate a Chinese diplomat accused of trying to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker who criticized Beijing.

In a statement posted on its website, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday (05/09/2023) that it would expel a diplomat from the Canadian consulate in Shanghai.

Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde has been asked to leave China on May 13. “China strongly condemns and firmly opposes it and has submitted a serious demarcation and strong protest to Canada,” the statement said, referring to Ottawa’s decision to deport a Chinese diplomat to Toronto.

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry has called Lalonde a persona non grata – an undesirable person. “As a countermeasure to Canada’s immoral acts, China has decided to declare Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, Consul of the Canadian Consulate General in Shanghai, persona non grata. China reserves the right to react further,” the Chinese ministry said. of Foreign Affairs, quoted by AFP.

Beijing’s move comes after Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Toronto-based Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei should leave the country. Canada, he said, would not tolerate any form of foreign interference in its internal affairs.

“We remain steadfast in our determination that the defense of our democracy is of the utmost importance,” said Mélanie Joly.

He added that foreign diplomats in Canada have been warned that if they engage in this type of behavior they will be sent home. The expulsions have plunged the two countries into a new diplomatic conflict after years of soured relations.

Relations between Beijing and Ottawa have been strained since Canada’s 2018 arrest of a senior Huawei executive and the detention of two Canadian nationals in China in apparent retaliation.

All three have been released, but Beijing continues to criticize Ottawa for conforming to Washington’s China policy, while Canadian officials regularly accuse China of interference.

After China’s ambassador was summoned last week on the latest interference charges, Beijing last Friday denounced what it called “slander and defamation” by Canada. China’s foreign ministry insists the scandal has been exaggerated by some Canadian politicians and media.

This article was published on Kompas.com with the title “China and Canada kicking each other out of diplomats, that’s the cause“,

Author: Irawan Sapto Adhi
Publisher: Irawan Sapto Adhi