AMN
China has expelled a Canadian diplomat in Shanghai in retaliation for Ottawa sending home a Chinese diplomat accused of trying to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker. China told Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, a Canadian diplomat to leave the country by the 13th of May.
Wang Wenbin, spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry said, China has adopted corresponding retaliatory measures in response to the Canadian side’s unreasonable provocation. He said this was absolutely necessary and urged Canada to immediately stop its unreasonable provocations.
On Monday, Canada expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei after an intelligence report accused him of trying to target a Canadian lawmaker critical of China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority.
Last Thursday, Canada summoned China’s ambassador to reiterate that Canada would not tolerate interference in its affairs.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been strained since the detention of Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou, held in Canada on US fraud charges in 2018, and Beijing’s subsequent arrest of two Canadians on spying charges. All three were freed in 2021.