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Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau has spoken out about the expulsion of one of his country’s Chinese diplomats. He said he was ready for the diplomatic consequences that Beijing could launch in return.

Earlier, Canada announced on Monday the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat named Zhao Wei, who was serving at the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Ottawa had granted the diplomat persona non grata status.

Zhao was accused of trying to intimidate Canadian MP Michael Chong and his family in Hong Kong over his criticism of the Chinese government over the Xinjiang issue.

The Canadian leader said his administration’s decision to expel the Chinese official “sends a very clear message that we will not accept foreign interference.”

“Whatever next choice they make, we won’t be intimidated,” he told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday. ReutersThursday (05/11/2023).

China, through its Embassy in Canada, transmitted its rebuttal and rebuttal to this allegation. In a statement, China’s representative to Maple Country said Canada had “sabotaged” relations between the two countries.

“The Chinese side will take firm countermeasures and all consequences thereof will be borne by the Canadian side,” the official statement read, quoted from the embassy’s official website.

Hours later, China responded by expelling the Canadian consul in Shanghai, Jennifer Lalonde, accusing Canadian politicians and the media of exaggerating allegations of foreign interference in Canadian affairs.

Relations between Canada and China are known to be strained. Relations have been strained since Canada arrested a senior official of a Chinese tech company, Huawei, in late 2018.

At the highest level, Chinese President Xi Jinping also clashed with Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau at the G20 summit in Bali last November. At that time, Xi confronted Trudeau because he allegedly leaked the conversation between the two to the media.

(sef/sef)