Her Foreign Office China announced today, Tuesday, that it will expel a diplomat from the Canadian consulate in Shanghai as part of countermeasures after expulsion of a Chinese diplomat from Ottawa.

Canadian diplomat Jennifer Lynn Lalonde has been asked to leave by May 13, Beijing said.

Recall that yesterday, on Monday, Canadian government announces expulsion of Chinese diplomat whom he accused of trying to blackmail a Canadian MP who criticized China. The move has sparked a new acute diplomatic crisis between the two countries, for which Beijing blames Ottawa.

“We will not tolerate any foreign interference in our internal affairs,” Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie said in a press release announcing the expulsion of diplomat Zhao Wei, who has been declared persona non grata in Canada.

Escalation of the gap

Relations between Beijing and Ottawa has worsened in recent yearsespecially after the 2018 arrest of the daughter of the founder and CFO of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and China’s imprisonment of two Canadians in retaliation.

Although all three were eventually released, tensions have not subsided, with Beijing criticizing Ottawa for aligning its China policy with that of Washington, and Canadian authorities frequently alleging Chinese meddling in Canadian affairs.

China is accused, in particular, of trying meddle in elections held in Canada in 2019 and 2021. A series of articles published in the Canadian media alluded to the secret financing and involvement in the campaign of some candidates. Allegations that Beijing “strongly” denied.

last months, Canada is gradually strengthening its position, expulsion of Chinese rare earth companies in the name of “national security”

Source: Reuters.